Hole In My Heart
by StandAlone
Summary: Yuugi forms a bond with a mysterious woman who is not what she appears to be. When that bond threatens his life, will Atemu be able to save him? Will Yuugi even let him? Shonenai. Ch. 20. COMPLETE!
1. Letting Go

**Hole In My Heart**

Hiya! StandAlone here with another Yu-gi-oh! fic. Before we get started, here's what ya need to know:

This will be a shonen-ai fic revolving around Atemu (Yami) and Yuugi, so if you don't like the pairing or are offended by this, ya might as well back out now. If you don't like it, don't read it. It's also a bit of a mother/son fic (not in any bad way of course). There is a slight bit of a one sided Anzu/Atemu pairing but not much.

The storyline is a parody of xxxHolic volume 6 but you won't have to have read it in order to understand it. Although it is a great series by one of my favorite manga authors, CLAMP, so if you're looking for something good to read, I do recommend that you check it out.

I'm keeping the chapters short so I can update more often since I have a bad habit of not finishing stories with longer chapters. However, more reviews mean quicker updates….. so leave plenty of incentive for me okay:P Constructive criticism welcome, but please… no flames. Just stop reading if you really hate it. Not hard to do.

I think that's it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! belongs to Kazuki Takahashi and the basic storyline from xxxHolic belongs to CLAMP. This fic is for entertainment purposes only; no money is being made from this.

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_"If he wants to keep from crying, he'll just have to get stronger. Strong enough so that **he** won't be the one crying in the end."_ - Kurogane, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _VolumeTwo_

**Letting Go**

Yuugi Mutou sighed gratefully as the final bell signaled the end of the school day and began packing up his things. A smile touched his lips at the thought of meeting up with his friends for some arcade games. A couple of rounds of Halo 2 and some racing games were just what he needed to clear his mind and unwind.

It was their senior year of high school and the teachers were hitting the students with everything they had, and it didn't help matters that Yuugi was in the advanced college prep math class. He had a knack for solving puzzles of all kinds, and since number formulas were little more than that, he was pretty good at it. His grandfather was pushing him especially hard as well, so the stress was becoming a little overwhelming. But that was all nothing a pile of virtual zombie corpses and exploding cars couldn't solve.

Yuugi shook his head with another sigh as he stuffed a few of his textbooks into his locker. If only blowing things up on a computer screen could solve all of life's problems.

"Hiya, Yug!"

He turned in the direction of the voice and grinned at the sight of his best friend jogging up to him. "Hey, Jounouchi!" he replied cheerfully. "How was your day?"

"Meh. Can't complain I guess. Good to go?" He slung his briefcase over his shoulder and indicated the exit with his thumb.

Yuugi nodded and secured his backpack over his own shoulders before falling in step next to the taller blond.

"Anzu and Honda are probably waiting for us already," Jou mumbled in an attempt to make small talk.

"Yeah." Yuugi paused and waited for what he already knew was coming. _'Any second now….'_

"Um…. so….. is Atemu coming too?"

Bingo. Yuugi suppressed another sigh at this and immediately hated himself for having to do so. It was only natural that Jounouchi would ask. After all, they almost always did things as a group, and this included Atemu. But sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if his friends felt anything at all for him. He wondered if his darker half was the only reason they hung out with him. He couldn't blame them for it really though. The former pharaoh was and always would be everything he couldn't, and he was alright with that. And he certainly didn't blame Atemu for anything; he loved him far too much for that. It was just that lately it seemed like it wouldn't really matter if he was there at all.

The only exception to it all was Ryou. The two hikari's found themselves growing much closer after the events of the Memory RPG, as only they could understand the trials that come with playing host to an ancient spirit. However, he was currently on a much needed vacation with his somewhat estranged family. He called every couple of days and had sent a postcard from Washington D.C. but he wasn't due back for another few weeks.

Yuugi forcefully shook these self doubts out of his mind and pasted on an innocent smile. "I'm not really sure. I told him we were planning on going to the arcade after school today, but he didn't say anything about it."

Jou grunted absentmindedly in response but didn't make much of an effort to conceal his slight disappointment. Neither said a word more as they left the building and looked around for their other friends.

By the gate across from schoolyard, Anzu spotted the pair and quickly waved them over. "Yuugi! Jounouchi!" she called. Both waved back and hurried over.

Honda nodded and smiled to both of them. "Hey, guys!"

"How was math today, Yuugi?" Anzu asked. She hated the subject with a passion and couldn't understand why her friend would voluntarily take the hardest class the school had to offer. He once tried to explain a series of what he called "basic" formulas to her once, and she wound up with a terrible migraine.

He shrugged casually. "Not too bad. Kanade-sensei assigned us partners for a mid term project already. I got paired with Kaiba."

Jou shook his head sympathetically. "Aww….. that must suck." Over all their random adventures together, Jounouchi had at least come to respect Seto, but he still didn't like him very much. To him, being paired with the teenage CEO was about the worse thing that could happen.

Yuugi smiled. "I don't think it'll be that bad. He **_is_** the smartest guy in school. So as long as he doesn't keep challenging me to duel, we're pretty much guaranteed a good grade. Uh….. is something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" His smiled faded and he cocked his head to the side slightly in his cute little way. Out of nowhere, Anzu had started blushing and bit her lip while Jounouchi and Honda were trying to hide smirks behind their hands.

"Uh….. guys, what's so….. AHHH!!" Yuugi jumped and screamed mid sentence when a pair of strong arms enveloped him from behind, taking him completely by surprise. Then those same hands began wandering over all his ticklish spots, causing him to burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. He squirmed and writhed around, trying in vain to pry himself free from his captor, even knowing he wasn't strong enough to do so.

Atemu kept a tight grip around his beloved aibou's waist and cackled evilly as he continued to torment Yuugi from behind. While the younger had been talking to their friends, he had snuck up on him, putting a finger to his lips to keep the others quiet before grabbing him. He just loved teasing him so.

"Alright! Alright! Mou hitori... please stop! I can't….. I can't breathe!" It didn't take much for Yuugi to figure out who it was.

The former pharaoh reluctantly obeyed. As much as he liked hearing his little one laugh, he didn't want to hurt him. He chuckled with the others as Yuugi panted to catch his breath, glaring at his other in the process.

"Very….. very funny, Atemu," he wheezed breathlessly.

He crossed his arms and smirked. "I thought so." His grin widened as Yuugi tried to scowl, but on him it was just an adorable pout with a slight blush to match.

"Glad you could join us, Atemu," Jounouchi said, still snickering slightly.

A deep red spread across Anzu's face as she stepped forward towards the yami. "Um, so does that mean you're coming to the arcade with us?"

Atemu smiled at her, but unconsciously took a step away from her and closer to Yuugi. "Of course."

She clapped her hands excitedly. "That's great! Well then, what are we waiting for?" With that, she headed in the direction of the arcade, the others trailing behind her.

The Pharaoh paused and glanced back when he noticed that Yuugi hadn't moved. "Aibou?"

He blinked for a second, as though snapping from a daze before grinning widely at his secret crush. "Oh! Sorry. I just remembered that I've got a MAJOR test to study for. I think I should probably head home."

"Awww. You sure about that Yug?" Jounouchi asked, having stopped with the others.

He nodded in response. "Yeah. Grandpa will kill me if I fail it. But you guys have fun, okay?" He turned in the opposite direction to leave.

"Wait for me, Hikari!" Atemu was about to rush after him, but stopped in surprise when Yuugi waved his hands and shook his head.

"No, no! You go ahead with them."

Yami did his best to conceal his disappointment. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Yuugi nodded almost a little too enthusiastically. "Yeah! I'll be fine. You go have fun. I'll see ya when you get home." He waved to them all as he turned again. "Bye guys!" Before the others could say a word, we rushed off to the game shop at a brisk pace, trying to stifle his tears in the process.

Truth was, he couldn't think of any place he'd rather be than with Atemu. He'd realized a long time ago that he had fallen hopelessly in love with his darker half, and he'd like nothing more than to be near him at all times. But the pharaoh had already wasted so much time on him, saving the world and putting up with all his weaknesses in the process. Now he'd finally been gifted with his own body, his own life. What right did Yuugi have to take that away from him? How could he hold him back, deny him the chance to lead his own life, free from him? He knew Anzu had feelings for his yami as well, and he couldn't in good conscience stand in the way if they were reciprocated. So as much as it hurt him to do so, he was doing his best to slowly let go.

Atemu reluctantly followed after Anzu, Honda, and Jounouchi, but kept glancing back to watch his aibou's fading form. He had noticed recently that Yuugi seemed to be almost avoiding him, excusing himself to be alone, and it was beginning to worry him. He had yet to confront his precious hikari about it, because in all honestly, it wasn't happening enough for the others to notice. He thought maybe his own desire to be with his secret koi was affecting his judgment. Still, he couldn't help but worry and wonder. _'Yuugi…..'_

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That's it for chapter one! Chapter two will be up by this weekend. I know that isn't much to go on yet, but please review if you can! 

StandAlone


	2. Hitsuzen

Welcome to chapter two of my latest story! Special thanks to the following readers took the time to review:

**A.YamiYugi**: Thank you! I'll do my best not to disappoint.

**Cactus Bob**: I'm glad you like it so far. And personally, I was never a big fan of math. Nothing against it. Just not my strong point. Kudos to you though!

Thank you again! And for those who haven't reviewed, please do so! We all like to know that our work is appreciated, and I especially love suggestions so I can continue to improve my style.

I hope you all enjoy chapter two!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh! or the basic story from xxxHolic volume six.

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"_There is no such thing as coincidence in this world. The only thing….. is hitsuzen!" - _Yuko Ichihara, xxxHolic, _Volume One_

**Hitsuzen**

Saturday afternoon found Yuugi and Yami playing chess behind the counter of the game store. It was Yuugi's turn to run the shop, but it had been a surprisingly slow day. Around lunch time, Atemu came home from the errands Grandpa had sent him on and offered to keep him company, and although the younger said he didn't have to, the pharaoh insisted. Neither could think of any place they'd rather be than with each other anyway, so they didn't bother to argue too much.

Atemu was paying more attention to his opponent than the game though. Last year, when he and Yuugi had been separated by Dartz and his Orichalcos spell, he'd come to realize how much he loved and needed his little one. When they were finally reunited, he vowed never to be parted from him again if he could help it, even if the feelings would never be returned. It was for that reason that he chose not to leave after their ceremonial duel in Egypt, and was eternally grateful to the gods for granting him his own body as a reward for saving mankind.

Now that he thought about it though, gaining a body might not have been such a good thing. The first thing he did upon waking from the process was to embrace his Yuugi. In doing so, he found his newfound senses overwhelmed from the contact. The scent of his partner's soft skin, the warmth radiating from his body, and the sensation of holding him in his arms at long last was enough to drive him mad. He had yet to admit his love to him, fear of rejection and hatred keeping his tongue in check, but that didn't stop his longing. He would be willing to give almost anything for the chance to touch and taste him unrestricted. More than once, he noticed his hands twitching when he sat near Yuugi, and he'd unconsciously lean in a little too close when they were talking alone together. It took all of his self control not to make his almost too vivid fantasies into reality.

Still, Yami found that most of the time, he could be content just to be with him. Like now, for instance. Alone and comfortable together in their home, relaxing and playing a game of chess. An almost goofy grin found its way to his lips as he bypassed watching the board in favor of studying Yuugi. At the moment, the younger teen was staring at the board intently, eyes darting back and forth as he contemplated his next move. He was rubbing his temple slightly as though that action alone would encourage the best strategy dormant in his mind to surface. His eyebrows were narrowed in intense concentration and he alternated between biting his lip and tongue nervously. It made for one adorable picture.

Suddenly his eyes widened in realization and he gasped quietly. "Oh!" He leaned forward and moved his knight towards Atemu's king. "Checkmate!"

Yami shook himself from his Yuugi induced daze and observed the board. He blinked in surprise before chuckling softly. "Huh. I suppose I should've seen that coming. Well done, aibou." He leaned forward and began moving his pieces back to their starting positions.

Yuugi hesitated before doing the same. "Um…. Atemu?"

He glanced up. "Hmm?"

"Is something on your mind? You've been awfully quiet today. And I don't usually win _that_ easily."

The former pharaoh smirked. "_That easily_? What's that supposed to mean?" His grin widened in satisfaction when his hikari blushed fiercely and began to stutter.

"Um…. well….. what I mean is….."

He couldn't help but laugh. Yuugi was just too cute when he was flustered. "I'm kidding; don't worry about it. And I'm fine. Really." He added that last bit when he saw the younger open his mouth to protest. "Up for one more game?"

Yuugi paused thoughtfully before shaking his head. "It's almost closing time. I should start cleaning up." He smiled brightly and his blush deepened. "Thanks for hanging out with me though. I probably would have fallen asleep at the register if you hadn't been here."

Atemu returned the grin and nodded. "My pleasure. Do you want some help with the chores?" He tried not to sound too hopeful as he asked. Although he wasn't a big fan of cleaning, anything was worth it if it meant spending more time with his beloved.

Yuugi shook his head. "Nah. I can handle it. Besides, the guys will be here pretty soon. Weren't you going to make some snacks?"

Everyone had decided earlier in the week that they'd all get together that evening to play games and watch a movie. Since Yuugi had to mind the store and close up, Atemu had offered to take care of the snacks and set up, despite being a less than accomplished cook.

The pharaoh sighed and agreed reluctantly. Besides, for once Yuugi had agreed to hang out with all of them and had no excuse to back out this time. He'd much rather be alone with him, like now, but he'd settle for a group get together. "Yes, I suppose I did say that, didn't I? Guess I better get started then." He snuck up behind him and wrapped one arm around his little one's shoulders. "Don't take too long, alright? I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." He smirked again at seeing the blush he loved so much reappear on Yuugi's face.

Once Yami was gone, Yuugi let out deep breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He both loved and hated it when Atemu teased him like that. Loved it because he'd give anything to have that kind of relationship with his love, and hated it because he knew he never could.

He shook his head, sighed softly, and set about closing the shop.

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An hour later, Yuugi was almost finished with his chores. He'd wiped the counters, vacuumed the carpet, restocked a few of the shelves, and locked the money in the safe. All that was left was to sweep the autumn leaves from the front sidewalk and that was it. 

Anzu, Jounouchi, and Honda had already arrived and were in the living with Atemu playing a board game. Since he'd only be another few minutes, he had told them to go ahead and start without him. He smiled as he pulled a navy blue hooded sweater over his head and grabbed the broom. He didn't realize how much he missed hanging out with everyone and couldn't wait to join them. He made a mental note to thank his yami for making him promise to play.

Unfortunately, fate seemed to be teasing him as he looked at the large amount of fallen leaves in front of the shop. He sighed. It was going to take a little longer than he thought.

Indeed, a full half an hour had passed when Yuugi was finally able to wipe his brow and admire his work. "Phew! All done!" he said to himself happily. And about time. He was getting hungry and was about ready to relax and watch that movie with the guys.

He was about to head back in when he heard a soft giggle from somewhere behind him. Turning around, he saw a tall woman with long black braided hair standing a few feet away, watching him. She looked to be about in her late twenties to early thirties and seemed to be wearing a traditional kimono. Strange, for the only time such an attire was worn anymore was during different festivals, or if the person was a miko or monk.

The woman smiled kindly at him. "Hello there," she said softly, and almost hesitantly.

Yuugi blinked in surprise. "Um, h-hello."

"It must be difficult sweeping all these leaves by yourself," she replied politely.

Yuugi tilted his head slightly in confusion. Was she trying to make small talk? With a complete stranger? He shook his head. Maybe she simply wanted to buy a game. "Um, I'm sorry, but the store is closed." He hated to turn her away, but he'd already shut down the register.

"Store?"

"Hmm? You aren't here to buy a game?"

She giggled a little. "I'm sorry. You just seemed to be having so much fun, and I guess my voice carried over. I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"Oh. Well, that's alright."

She paused and looked over the game shop. She smiled again. "What a lovely little store! And you sell games?"

Yuugi nodded proudly. "Yep. I know it doesn't look like much, but we have just about every popular game out there. My grandfather even imports a lot of games from other countries."

"Your grandfather? Then this is your family's shop?" When he nodded again, her grin widened. "How wonderful for you! There really aren't enough family owned businesses out there nowadays."

He laughed softly. "Yeah. I'm really lucky that way. I'm probably going to run it myself someday. I only hope I can do as well as my grandpa."

Both of them glanced in the shop's window when a loud ringing noise abruptly interrupted their conversation.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I need to answer the phone," Yuugi said.

The woman bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry to have bothered you on the job."

"It's okay. It was nice talking to you!" the teen called over his shoulder as he entered the house. Through the window, he saw her wave and continue on her way. A strange, peaceful sort of smile made its way to his lips as he watched her go.

The phone snapped him back to his senses, and he scrambled to answer it. He figured the others hadn't heard it or chose to ignore it. "Hello! Mutou residence!"

"Hi Yuugi!"

He grinned happily. "Oh! Hi Ryou! How's it going? And where are you now?" Ryou's family vacation had basically turned out to be a U.S.A. tour, and every time he called, it was from somewhere new.

"Hawaii! You won't believe how beautiful it is. I've been taking plenty of pictures to show you guys when I get back."

"Wow! That's so cool!" An excited cheer from the living room reminded him that he wasn't alone. "Oh, Ryou, everyone's over at my house tonight, and they'll wanna say hi too. Hold on a sec while I go get them."

"Wait! Yuugi! There's something I wanted to…."

Yuugi set the receiver on the counter and ran to the other room. "Hey guys, Ryou's on the phone," he said. They all looked up from their game.

"Cool. Can we talk to him?" Jounouchi asked.

"Yeah. Come in the store and I'll put him on speaker."

They all followed him back and gathered around the counter in a circle. Yuugi hit the speaker button and replaced the phone.

"Still there, Ryou?"

"Yeah."

"Bakura!"

"Hey, man!"

"How are you?"

"How's it going?"

Everyone blurted out their greetings all at once to their good friend. They all missed him, but they understood how important this trip was to him.

He laughed at their enthusiasm. "Hi everyone! I'm doing very well! We spent almost the whole day at the beach today. And now I look like a lobster."

The group laughed. The poor boy had such sensitive skin, and couldn't get a tan to save his life no matter how hard he tried. The mental image of Ryou with glowing red skin against his snow white hair made them laugh even harder.

"Dude! I've gotta see a picture of that," Honda teased.

"Not likely, buddy," came the quick retort. What sounded like muffled mumblings followed briefly.

"Uh, sorry guys. I hafta cut this short. Amane wants me to take her to the park before it gets too dark."

Anzu smiled. "Well, it was nice hearing from you, Bakura."

"And you better be bringing us some souvenirs!" Jounouchi added.

"I will; I will."

"We'll talk to ya later!" Yuugi concluded.

"Yuugi? Please be careful." Everyone glanced at him suspiciously, wondering what their friend could possibly mean.

"Um….. what do you mean?" he asked, clearly confused.

A pause. "Just….. be careful. Bye everyone! Miss you!"

"Bye Ryou!" everyone chorused.

All eyes returned to Yuugi. "Huh. What do you suppose he was talking about?" Anzu asked him.

He shrugged and shook his head. "I have no idea."

Atemu raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?" They'd learned a long time ago that Ryou had a sixth sense of sorts for the mysterious and unknown. That sense seemed to heighten during and after his possession of the Millennium Ring. No one, including Ryou, ever made a big deal about it, although he would occasionally say some strange things. He'd seem to have knowledge others did not. Once in a while, he'd warn them to stay away from a particular area or not to trust certain people and he usually proved to be correct in his musings. And he was far too polite and kind to play a practical joke, so if he went out of his way to tell Yuugi to be careful, then there was a good reason for it.

Yuugi waved his hands. "Really! I don't know what he's talking about."

Honda stretched and headed for the door. "Oh well. It must not be too important if he didn't bother to explain."

Jounouchi, Anzu, and Yuugi nodded in agreement. "Come on, guys. I wanna watch that movie," Jou said.

"Yeah," the brunette girl concurred.

They all followed Honda to the living room, though Atemu trailed slightly. He didn't know why, but this was really worrying him.

Yuugi popped his head back in the store and smiled at his other self. "Hey. Are you coming?"

He looked at his aibou and smiled back. Oh well. He'd have plenty of time to think about it later.

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That's it for chapter two! And for those of you who haven't read xxxHolic and are wondering just what on earth hitsuzen is, the following definition is straight out of the first volume of Holic: 

"_Hitsuzen….. a naturally fore-ordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible. A result which can only be obtained by a single causality, and other causalities would necessarily create different results."_

I love that manga. And Yu-gi-oh. Please review!

StandAlone


	3. Bonds of Fate

To the following reviewers:

**Spicey Babe:** So I take it you're liking it so far?

**CosmicEssence:** I'm glad you like it! I love getting into characters' heads, so it makes me happy that you think I''m doing alright. And regarding hitsuzen, this chapter should clear things up. Let me know what you think.

By the way, if anyone would like me to reply to reviews personally instead of in the chapters, please let me know in the review.

And now I present to you: Chapter Three!!

Disclaimer: I do not own either Yu-gi-oh! or xxxHolic.

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"_No matter how unimportant the meeting… how small the outcome… it will always have some later effect on you. There is an unbroken series of connections that follows the life path of any person. It can be the smallest of things. It can be the shortest of moments. It may never be remembered. It may have never been recorded. **A bond of fate never disappears once tied**."_ – Yuko Ichihara, xxxHolic, _Volume One_

**Bonds of Fate**

Yuugi was a little surprised to wake up in his bed, and still wearing his day clothes no less, the morning following their movie night. He remembered doing the chores, talking to a woman outside the shop, playing a few board games with his friends, and then watching the movie. But he didn't remember going to bed.

'_Must have fallen asleep on the couch,'_ he thought. Then he blushed a little when he realized why.

After playing various games for an hour or so, the group situated themselves so they could comfortably watch a movie. Honda plopped into a recliner while Jou stretched out on the floor. Anzu curled up on one side of the couch while Yuugi was laying on the other, legs dangling over the armrest. The young duelist felt the need to rest his back, but he made sure to leave plenty of room for Atemu in between himself and Anzu. At the time, he had been a little depressed because the girl had been flirting with the pharaoh all night, and he was ready to expect even more when the lights went out. He figured it wouldn't take long for the two to start cuddling. The thought was unbearable.

He wasn't really sure why he expected the worse though. Anzu's feelings were almost ridiculously obvious, while Yami's were a little hard to read. Even when they shared a body and their minds were linked, he had a way of hiding his true intentions, slipping up only when his emotions were particularly strong. He seemed to wave away her affections as nothing. If he returned the feelings, he was doing a good job of hiding it.

Especially considering how he chose to settle himself. There was more than enough space for the three of them to share the couch without having to touch, but that didn't stop Atemu. He sat down close to him, and without saying so much as a word, shifted Yuugi so that the younger's head was lying in his lap. Confused amethyst eyes met mischievous crimson. Yami smirked and winked; Hikari blinked and blushed.

Neither said anything and turned their attention to the screen. After a while, Yuugi felt a soft touch gently massaging his temple, trailing the edge of his face, and playing with his golden bangs. He looked up at Atemu, his face turning red with shyness. The pharaoh's eyes met with his again, a small smile playing on his lips. The older shrugged before shifting his gaze back to the TV, but didn't stop the tender caresses.

He guessed the affectionate touches combined with the late hour must have lulled him to sleep. And Atemu probably carried him up to his room and tucked him in. Yuugi exhaled heavily. Too bad he hadn't been awake for that.

A quick glance at the clock revealed that it was 8 a.m. His grandfather was probably awake already, but Yami definitely wouldn't be. The two Motou's had learned very quickly that the former pharaoh was NOT a morning person, and it was rather unwise to wake him early unless it was absolutely necessary.

Yuugi stood and looked out his skylight window. The morning sun was shining brightly with only a slight breeze rustling the autumn leaves of the trees. He decided that since it seemed relatively pleasant out, a short walk in the park might be refreshing.

Making up his mind, he rustled through his dresser drawers and pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans, and a long sleeved black shirt. He decided he didn't feel like wearing any leather chokers or wrist bands that day, so he left them off. After washing up his face and brushing his teeth, he headed downstairs and retrieved a long black leather trench coat from the hall closet. He bid his grandpa good morning, told him he'd back shortly, and left for his walk.

He tried to keep his mind clear, but Yuugi found his thoughts continually drifting back to his beloved other self, and his confusing displays of affection. He smiled and blushed again, briefly entertaining the idea of telling him how he felt_. 'Maybe… maybe he feels that same way I do. What if he **does** love me?'_ he thought. He blushed even more and his eyes clouded over as he envisioned being held by his dark's warm arms, whispers of love and devotion reassuring him as their lips drew closer and closer.

"_Yuugi, do you know… if Atemu likes me?"_

His fantasy was abruptly ruined when that question suddenly popped in his head. Yuugi sighed in annoyance, and then stared at the ground sadly.

Anzu was the one who had asked him that, shortly after Yami gained his own body. He'd previously suspected she had a crush on his other and that more than confirmed it. It took an unusual amount of self control on his part not to snap at her to back off, that he loved the pharaoh and wanted him to himself. But of course, he was far too kind and self sacrificing for that, so he merely gave her the only appropriate answer he could think of.

"_Well, Anzu… you'll just have to ask him yourself."_

He had smiled then, and encouraged her to follow her own heart, jealous because he couldn't do the same.

Yuugi stopped walking and looked up at the sky in agitation. He ran his hands wearily through his unruly hair and let out an aggravated groan. _'Why can't anything ever be easy for me?'_

A familiar giggle erupted from a few feet behind him. He stopped and turned. "Oh! It's you… from last night."

The tall woman with long black hair approached slowly, still laughing a little. She was again wearing a traditional kimono, but this time it was covered by what appeared to be a big black cloak. "I'm so sorry!" she said, smiling kindly. "You looked like you were having so much fun… making all those faces."

Yuugi chuckled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Heh, heh. I can't say I was having fun exactly. I guess I'm just a little too expressive when I'm thinking."

The woman laughed again. "Are you heading in any particular direction?" she asked shyly.

He shrugged. "It just looked so nice out today, so I thought I'd take a walk to the park."

She nodded. "I was actually heading that way myself. Would you mind if we walked together?"

Yuugi smiled in agreement. "Sure. I don't see why not."

They walked side by side in a comfortable silence for a while. It was the woman who broke it as they neared the park. "So, do you have to work today?"

He shook his head. "Nah. We're closed on Sundays. It gives my grandpa time to rest and me to get ready for school again."

"Then, are you in any hurry to get home?"

"No. Not really."

Her soft smile returned. "Well then, do you think you could keep me company for a while longer?"

Yuugi looked a little confused, but decided there was no harm in it. He couldn't explain it, but even when he talked to her last night, he sensed that she really wanted someone to talk to, that perhaps she was a little lonely. He could definitely relate, and he was hardly the kind of person who would pass up the opportunity to help out someone in need.

He followed as she led the way to a vending machine near some public restrooms. "I was thinking that I'd very much like to sit down with a can of coffee. Would you like anything?"

He shook his head politely. After she got her drink, they wandered over to a park bench and sat down. She turned the warm can in her hands nervously, but didn't immediately open it.

"You must be thinking that I'm pretty odd, aren't you?" she said quietly, laughing a little.

'_A little,'_ Yuugi thought. After all, it wasn't every day a stranger approached him without the intention of challenging him to a duel. But instead of voicing his thoughts, he shook his head. "No, not really."

She looked rather amused, having seemingly read his thoughts. "You're lying. It's written all over your face."

He blushed and chuckled. "Sorry. I've been told by a lot of people that I'm terrible at hiding things."

"It's alright." Her smile remained, but her eyes suddenly looked sad as she stared at her lap. "You see, I wanted to do this with my child. Taking walks in the park, just talk about anything and everything… but he…. he died a long time ago."

Yuugi's heart broke at hearing her speak this way and his eyes filled with compassion and understanding. "You had a son?" he asked delicately.

"Mmm. When I saw you last night, you reminded me so much of him. I couldn't help thinking that if he had been allowed to live and grow up, he might have been a nice boy like you." She forced herself to look up and meet his gaze again. "So you see, in a way, you're like a dream come true." Her smile widened serenely.

Yuugi swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and nodded. "Thank you."

She laughed suddenly again. "Now you must be thinking I'm even more odd."

He smiled, but looked away. "No. No, I wasn't. Actually, I was thinking that we hadn't properly introduced ourselves, and I'd very much like to know you're name."

"Oh. You're right. How silly of me." She bowed her head. "My name is Hikaru."

Yuugi bowed as well. "I'm Yuugi Mutou."

Hikaru laughed. "What a fitting name for you!"

"Thank you." He paused. "Ya know," he said, laughing again, "it's strange. I have a friend that likes to call me Hikari sometimes. Maybe we were fated to meet." He grinned.

Her expression mirrored his. "If that's the case, then I hope you don't mind if we meet and talk again sometime."

He nodded. "I hope I don't disappoint you."

"I doubt you will. Thank you."

Yuugi didn't know why, but talking to her like this made him feel a strange sort of happiness that had been absent for a long time, one he thought he had forgotten. His wide grin softened to a small, peaceful smile.

* * *

I hope everyone liked chapter three! I actually had a little trouble with it, so I might re-edit some stuff later. 

If anyone's good with grammar, there's something I wasn't sure about. When do you use "lying" verses "laying?" I always mix those up. Can anyone clarify?

As always, any comments and suggestions are very welcome. Please review!

StandAlone


	4. Addictive Love

Welcome to Chapter Four! I'm sorry for not having it up sooner. My job doesn't allow me much free time until the weekend. But to make up for it, I'll be posting at least two chapters every weekend.

I also want to let you all know that in one of my upcoming chapters, I'll be announcing a little trivia contest. That's really all I'll say for now except for one little hint: if you're interested in participating, start brushing up on your knowledge of CLAMP mangas. It really won't be hard, but it can't hurt. :P

And finally, to the following people who reviewed:

Thanks to **Atemu Yugi Lover34** and **Cactus Bob** for helping clear up my grammar dilemma.

And to **A.YamiYugi** and **Atemu Yugi Lover34** again: if you've read xxxHolic volume six, Hikaru is my version of the woman Watanuki meets. If you haven't read the series, well, you'll just have to wait and see who she is!!

All that said, let's move on to the disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh! or xxxHolic.

* * *

"_All that I want right now, more than anything else... is to be with him. The glow inside is brightest when that person is near... and the pain inside hurts more when he is away. I am happiest when I think about that person... I am saddest when I think about that person. That person makes all my feelings more intense. That must be what love is."_ – Chobits, _Volume 7_

**Addictive Love**

Atemu strolled casually down the street, hands in his pockets and humming to himself, with no particular destination in mind. He'd been working hard in the game shop all morning, so Grandpa let him have the afternoon off as long as he returned to help clean and close up. Everyone else was at school, so that left him with little to do. He'd spent maybe a half an hour attempting to read a book Anzu had recommended, but eventually got bored and decided to go for a walk instead.

The one time pharaoh forced himself from his thoughts and looked around to figure out where he was and what direction to take. He rolled his eyes at his own predictability when he realized he was nearing Domino High School, having been there several times before already. He hadn't meant to come this way; in fact, he distinctly remembered starting in the opposite direction. Somehow, his subconscious thoughts must have guided him here.

He glanced at his watch out of habit and realized that it was the students' lunch hour, which meant Yuugi and the others were probably outside the building somewhere. Then he mentally slapped himself when he began entertaining the idea of checking in on his beloved hikari.

Yami shook his head with a sigh. _'I should probably turn around right now,'_ he thought. Honestly, one would think he was addicted to Yuugi, the way he kept showing up wherever he happened to be for a quick hit. If he kept it up, it wouldn't be long before his aibou caught on to his true feelings. Of course, it would be wonderful if it turned out Yuugi felt the same, but if not, their friendship would be ruined. The thought was unbearable.

"Atemu! Over here!"

On the other hand, since their ceremonial duel not long ago, Yuugi was much more confident and self assured. Although he was still impossibly sweet and kind, he wasn't afraid to tell others, including Atemu, to back off and leave him alone if he needed some space. Yami always honored his wishes, even if he didn't understand or it upset him to do so. But he was also glad for it, as it was a good indication of a healthy relationship.

So, if Yuugi was going to invite him to join them, why shouldn't he? Atemu couldn't help but smile as he made up his mind and headed over to the tree his friends were sitting under. They all smiled and either waved or nodded as he sat down next to Yuugi. It wasn't uncommon for him to pop in at random just to hang out, so they didn't bother asking why he was there.

After a brief exchange of greetings, they continued with their previous conversation. "So, Yuugi, you said that woman lost her son?" Anzu asked. She frowned sympathetically when he nodded. "That's so sad!"

_'Must be talking about that Hikaru woman,'_ Atemu thought. Yuugi had told him all about her when he returned home late yesterday afternoon. He'd been a little suspicious about the whole situation, but then again, he was suspicious of everyone who came near his precious light. Being the world famous King of Games had earned his partner more than a few creepy stalkers, most of which Atemu, Jou, and Honda had been able to take care of easily enough. But after he heard everything, he'd decided she didn't fit the profile of the typical crazed fan. And as innocent and trusting as his other could be, he wasn't stupid.

Yuugi nodded again in agreement to Anzu's comment. "Yeah. She seemed so lonely. I only hope I can help ease her pain a little. She was so kind to me."

"So then, you're meeting her again?" Jounouchi mumbled, his mouth currently stuffed with food.

"Yep. I'll meet her on my way home from school today."

Anzu smiled. "I'll bet she's really looking forward to seeing you."

"Maybe," Yuugi whispered shyly.

Atemu smirked and draped an arm around his aibou's shoulders encouragingly. "Of course. Life is always much better when you're around," he said softly. His breath tickled the younger's ear, sending pleasant shivers down his back.

"R-really?" Yuugi stuttered. His face immediately went red when he turned to look at the pharaoh. Now that they were pretty much the same height, such an action brought their faces, not to mention their lips, almost uncomfortably close. Amethyst locked with crimson, sending them both into a daze that made them forget where they were and that they had an audience. Yuugi gulped nervously when Atemu smirked again.

Jou and Honda were a little too busy with their lunches to notice much, but Anzu was watching their every move. A stinging twinge in her heart caused her to interrupt the mood without thinking. "Oh, guys! You all remember that my dance recital is this weekend, right?" She gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth, surprised at her own outburst.

The comment did the trick though. Yuugi and Yami were snapped from their daze as they turned to look at her, and even more shocking was that Jounouchi and Honda had briefly paused in stuffing their faces.

"Oh yeah! I for... Urk! Ack!" Jounouchi immediately started choking when he tried to talk with his mouth full. Yuugi reluctantly detangled himself from Atemu's grasp and pat his buddy on the back to help dislodge the food.

Honda rolled his eyes and swallowed before speaking. "What time is it again, Anzu?"

"It starts at seven, but you should probably get there a little early." She was facing Atemu's general direction, but her eyes looked determinedly at her hands as she blushed. "You're all coming, right?" she mumbled, chancing a glance at the pharaoh.

Jounouchi, having finally swallowed the bit of food stuck in his throat, gave her a wide grin and a thumb's up. "Yeah! You bet!" he said, ever the encourager.

"Of course!" Yuugi added with a smile.

Atemu also smiled. "Wouldn't miss it for anything," he said. He liked Anzu as a friend and everything, but he wasn't a big fan of dancing. However, if it meant sitting next to his hikari in a dimly light auditorium, well then, he wouldn't dare miss it.

Yuugi frowned slightly.

Anzu giggled excitedly. "Great!"

Just then, the five minute warning bell sounded, signaling the students to start heading back into the building.

Honda stood and gathered his things. "Well, we'd better get back to class. See ya, Atemu!" They all followed his example, waving at their friend and promising to meet up with him later.

All except Yuugi, that is. Although he too had gathered his things and stood, he waited until his friends had gone, hoping to talk to Yami a moment. He had been thinking about confessing his secret feelings to him, and thought maybe now would be a good time. That way, if they weren't returned, he'd have a few hours apart from him to think of a good excuse to cover it up and save their friendship.

"Yuugi?" Atemu asked. He'd been staring at the ground, seemingly deep in thought. "Is something wrong?"

"Um..." Yuugi shifted nervously on his feet as he tried to think of a subtle way to go about this. "Actually, there's something I kinda wanted to ask you..."

Yami didn't know why, but the tension floating through their link made him uneasy. Since gaining a separate body, their mind link had disconnected for the most part. However, though they could no longer read each other's thoughts, strong emotions still seemed to filter through. What could possibly make his light so nervous? What could be wrong? Was someone or something hurting him? He shook his head to try and stop his mind from jumping to the wrong conclusion. He really did worry too much when it came to Yuugi.

He smiled encouragingly. "Yes?"

"Um... well..." Yuugi glared at his shoes. '_Come on, Yuugi. You can do this. Just ask him if he likes Anzu and go from there.'_ "Well, it's, um... it's about Anzu."

Atemu twitched slightly, not entirely sure what to expect. "What about her?"

Yuugi forced himself to meet his darker half's gaze, his body tense with apprehension. "Atemu... d-do you l-lo... l-lov..."

"Yuugi!" The boy stumbled when someone approaching from behind yelled his name impatiently. He turned and grinned sheepishly. "Oh. Hey, Kaiba. What's up?" He chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

The teenage CEO cocked a suspicious eyebrow at his rival as he approached. "Looking for you. I thought you wanted to get a jump start on our project." He crossed his arms and merely nodded to acknowledge the pharaoh's presence.

Yuugi laughed again. "Yeah, right. Sorry, I guess I forgot."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Well, then what are you waiting for? I don't have all day. Let's go." With that, he headed back to the building.

"Yuugi?" Atemu asked.

The hikari grinned. "Um... never mind. Forget I said anything. See ya later!" With a wave, he hurried after Kaiba, leaving a very confused yami in his wake.

* * *

"Hikaru-san! It's not _that_ funny!" Yuugi pouted. 

As promised, he met up with her in the park at the same bench they'd been sitting on the previous morning, and had just finished telling her about his lame attempt at confessing his feelings to Atemu. She seemed to find it hilarious.

"I'm sorry," she said, finally subduing her giggles. "It's just too cute!"

He groaned. "It is NOT cute. More like pathetic."

She grinned. "But it is cute. You're in love with this Atemu-kun, aren't you?"

Yuugi blushed. "Well... um... it's so hard to explain." A contented smile made its way to his face as he closed his eyes and put a hand over his heart. "When I'm with him, I feel so happy and safe. When things are tough, and I'm feeling down, he's always there to make me feel better. In fact, he doesn't have to do anything. As long he's with me, I know everything will be alright." He continued to smile, though he opened his eyes and looked up at the sky sadly. "And when he's gone, my heart aches so much I think it might shatter."

Hikaru nodded. "I'd call that love, wouldn't you, Yuugi-kun?"

"Yeah," he whispered, staring at his lap.

"Aww, you really are adorable!" she gushed, giggling again.

He began to laugh with her, but stopped when she reached over and put her soft hand over his. He looked up at her in surprise and was met with a tender smile.

"Yuugi-kun, I hope Atemu falls in love you too." She squeezed his hand ever so slightly in encouragement.

He couldn't help but grin. He had been a little depressed about the whole situation, but talking to Hikaru made him feel much more at ease. "Thank you, Hikaru-san."

* * *

And there you have it. Not a lot of Hikaru in this chapter, but she'll be taking a much bigger role in the next few. And the plot will be moving forward quite a bit more as well. 

Oh, and just a note in case anyone was wondering. This **isn't** going to be an Anzu-bashing fic. She can be annoying at times, but I actually like her as a character. I think she's got a good heart. But I don't really like her and Atemu as a pairing (I'm okay with her and Yuugi). So if you do like her, I'm not out to get her and she's not going to end up the bad guy (although her interruptions might make it that way for a lot of people). If you don't, well, I can respect your opinion. I'm just not going to bash her in this fic. There's plenty of other ones out there already, so if that's what you want, they're not hard to find.

Anyway, I'll try to post the next chapter by Sunday or so, but in the meantime, please review.

Thanks for reading!

StandAlone


	5. Unrelenting Loneliness

Holy crap! Two new chapters in a single night! What can I say? I was feeling ambitious. But that means I'll be expecting twice as many reviews alright?

For the only one who had time to read and review chapter four:

**Cactus Bob**: Well, it's not like Atemu is intentionally flirting with Anzu or anything. But you're right. Don't worry; he'll be coming clean pretty soon. :P

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-gi-Oh!, xxxHolic, or Chobits.

* * *

_"Once, long ago, I lost something precious to me. I went through... something very painful in the past. Even now, my heart hurts. Something very, very painful. Even now the pain still lingers... from when I lost what was precious to me. But I am still searching. Still searching for that thing **most** precious."_ – Chobits, _Volume Five_

**Unrelenting Loneliness **

"Aibou, do you have any plans after school today?" Atemu asked with a yawn.

He and Yuugi were preparing the display for a new game Grandpa had just got in stock before school. Normally, the older wasn't even awake yet, but Yuugi had been busy every day all that week, so he made a point to get up earlier just to spend some time with him.

Yuugi nodded as he taped up a poster. "Yeah. I'm helping Jou with his algebra, and then I'll stop by the park to see Hikaru-san."

Yami's face fell in disappointment, but luckily he was turned away so the younger couldn't see him. "Oh."

Yuugi climbed down the ladder he was standing on and turned to face him. "Why do you ask?"

Atemu shrugged casually. "No reason. Just wondering." He smiled when his little light tilted his head to the side in confusion. He always looked so cute when he did that. Unfortunately, he decided to add his puppy-eyed pout, and he just couldn't resist that. "There's supposed to be a good movie on tonight and I thought maybe you'd like to watch it with me." He couldn't help but smirk. Ironically, it was an old horror movie about mummies. But that wasn't the only reason he was interested in watching it. Yuugi liked horror movies, but he got so into them and was so easily startled that he'd always end up clinging to Yami for comfort. He loved it.

To his delight, Yuugi grinned. "Oh. Yeah, sure. I'd love to watch it with you. Well, I mean, if I don't have a lot of homework that is."

Yami nodded. "Good."

The younger duelist put away the tape and a few other things before glancing at the clock. "Oops! If I don't hurry, I'm gonna be late for school." He grabbed his backpack from the counter and gave his yami a quick hug. "Bye, Atemu!"

"Bye Yuugi." He followed his little one out of the shop and waved as he headed for school. When he'd gotten out of site, Atemu frowned a little. Yuugi had always had fair skin, not unlike Ryou, but he looked just a tad paler than usual today. But then again, only someone who spent way too much time studying his face would notice. He shook his head and yawned. _'Probably just my imagination,'_ he thought.

* * *

Yuugi hugged himself as he walked to school and sighed happily. His body always felt so warm and relaxed whenever he and his yami hugged. Luckily, he was just as affectionate with _all_ his friends so his secret koi wouldn't suspect that he hugged him just to feel those warm arms embracing him. It just felt so... right. If only he could work up the nerve to tell him that. 

On his way, Yuugi passed the park he'd been meeting Hikaru in. They always sat on the same bench near a line of trees. A children's playground was in viewing distance so parents could relax while their kids played. As he was walking, he caught sight of several figures approaching from the opposite direction.

He didn't know why, but he felt himself pause to watch as the family gathered near the swings.

"Push me, Mommy!" a little blond haired girl giggled. Her mother laughed as well, and responded by picking her up and securing her in a swing.

"Hold on tight, sweetie!" She took her position from behind and began to gently push the swing.

"Higher! Higher, Mommy!"

_"Push me higher, Mommy!"_

Yuugi's eyelids slipped down partially as he watched, his amethyst eyes both seeing and unseeing. The girl's voice shouted for more height as a different voice echoed the same words in his mind.

A dark haired man standing nearby stepped in front of the swing set, close enough to be involved, but not enough to be hit by the swinging child. He held up a digital camera. "Smile, ladies!"

Both the woman and her daughter grinned, the little girl releasing one of the chains to wave. After the flash, the girl dug her heels in the ground and jumped off. "Come play with me, Daddy!" She took off for the jungle gym, her father hurrying after her as he stuffed the camera in his pocket.

_"Betcha can't catch me, Daddy!"_

Yuugi smiled sadly at the happy family.

The little girl laughed as her parents chased her between different obstacles, staying one step behind and purposely missing when they tried to grab her. The father threw up his hands and fell to the ground, moaning about how he just wasn't as fast as his little angel. The girl pounced on him and both laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, securing her in place while her mother moved in tickle her.

The teenager's eyes narrowed further as tears stung the corners. He quickly reached up and brushed them away. After watching them a moment more, he hurried on his way to school.

* * *

"Yuugi-kun! How was school today?"

Yuugi glanced at the playground, and sighed a little in relief as it was empty. Then he grinned and sat down next to Hikaru. "Alright. Me and Kaiba are having a little trouble with our math project. Usually we're both really good at figuring things out, but we got stuck on some of the new formulas."

Hikaru smiled. "I'm sure the two of you will figure it out eventually."

"Thanks. It's not like we're in a hurry either. The project isn't due for another month. I just don't want to have to worry about at the last second. And Kaiba's so busy with work as well, so he'll be glad to get it out of the way."

"My, you both are certainly very industrious. Most students like to put things off as long as possible." She winked knowingly.

He laughed. "Yeah. But I only usually do that when I have to work with Jounouchi." At that, they both shared a laugh. Yuugi told her all about his friends, their little quirks, and the fun times they had. She was greatly amused by all their antics.

"Sounds like you've got such nice friends."

Yuugi nodded happily. "Yeah." Suddenly a thought struck him. "Hey, would you like to meet them sometime? I was thinking maybe you could come have dinner at our game shop. I can introduce you to my grandpa, and..." he paused and beat down a slight blush. "...and Atemu. And I can invite the others over too."

Hikaru's eyes darkened with sorrow. "I wouldn't want to impose. And what of your parents? I can't imagine they'd be comfortable with a stranger in their house."

Yuugi looked away. "I have no parents." His voice took on a rather dead tone as he spoke.

Hikaru gasped softly. She swiftly turned away as well, appearing as though she was going to cry. "Oh. I'm so sorry. I guess I touched a tender spot, didn't I?"

He looked up in surprise at the sudden change in her mood. "What? Oh, no, not at all!" He grinned and waved his hands excitedly. "Really, don't worry about it. It all happened a long time ago."

Hikaru placed her hands over one of his when it returned to its resting position on his knee. She looked in his eyes, compassion shining in her own. "Whether it happened long ago or just recently... it doesn't matter how much time passes. When you lose someone you love, your heart can never forget it. And you never get over the loneliness you feel inside." She stared at her lap then. "It's the same for me," she whispered.

A moment of silence passed as they refused to meet one another's gaze. Finally, Hikaru removed her hands from his. She forced a nervous laugh. "Please forgive me. I apologize, but I just keep saying such terrible things. I'm really..." She stopped when Yuugi reached over and quickly took her hand again.

"No, please!" His eyes met hers again, though now shining with long suppressed tears. "Please..." He swallowed heavily and rubbed his eyes with his free hand.

Hikaru looked at him in astonishment before finally smiling quietly again.

Yuugi returned the smile.

* * *

Sorry I didn't have too much Atemu/Yuugi goodness in there yet. Quite a bit of angst though. They'll be more angst latter, but I promise, they'll be plenty of fluff coming soon as well. I still have to figure a few more things out first. 

But in the meantime, review!!

StandAlone


	6. Tipping on the Edge

Welcome to Chapter Six everyone!! I hope everyone's enjoying the story so far. But I won't know unless you review.

To the ones who did:

**Redconvoy:** Ya know, I actually **wasn't** thinking about that Inuyasha episode, but now that you mention it, they are kinda similar. My inspiration is from xxxHolic, _Volume Six_, but I can see where you'd think it'd be from Inuyasha. I love that show too, by the way. As for any confessions, someone's going to confess in this chapter, but you might be a little disappointed. :P Sorry. Gotta keep the suspense flowing somehow. And as for Ryou, he'll be making an appearance eventually, don't you worry.

**Atemu Yugi Lover34**: Sorry, no fluff in this chapter. But I promise there will be some mixed in with the angst of the next one. As for Yuugi not catching on to Yami's moves, well, he's got lots on his mind. This chapter and the next should show why. And xxxHolic is an awesome manga. You should definitely check it out. The basic story so far is about a high school boy named Kimihiro Watanuki. He can see spirits and all kinds of strange things others cannot. In order to rid himself of this ability, he enters the service of the time-space witch Yuko Ishihara. She runs a shop that grants wishes for a price. It's really funny, creepy, and messes with your head a lot. Totally cool. I love CLAMP! They're so creative!

I apologize to anyone with short attention spans, but this chapter's a little longer than the others. From this point on, the pace will pick up a little more, but I had a lot of necessary ground to cover before that, and I wanted to do it in one installment.

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-gi-oh! or xxxHolic.

* * *

_"Once a stone starts, it can't stop itself. It just keeps rolling... until it gets to the very bottom of the slope."_ – Yuko Ishihara, xxxHolic, _Volume Three_

**Tipping on the Edge**

The weekend came and went. Anzu's big dance recital went off without a hitch. Even Atemu had to admit that she was very good. To congratulate her on a successful show, the guys all pitched in and bought her a new dancing outfit (they got a lot of help from her mother), and treated her to a wonderful dinner. Ryou even called her later to ask how she did and made her promise to show him the video when he got back.

A new school week began, but none of them were very eager to concentrate on their studies. Honda and Jounouchi were just their normal goofy selves, slacking off and then begging Yuugi and Anzu for some extra tutoring. Yuugi continued to divide his time between Hikaru-san and Atemu, and looking much happier than he had in a long time because of it. Atemu worked hard with Grandpa in the game shop during the day and hung out with the others in the evenings.

That left Anzu. She was becoming a little overwhelmed with all the different things on her mind. First, she had to survive their last year of high school with grades good enough to please her parents. They insisted that she do her best in every subject, though she was at a loss as to how her future dancing career would be affected by the ability to prove that a triangle was equilateral. Second on her list was attending auditions, filling out scholarship applications and trying to scrape up enough money for her eventual move to America to attend a prestigious dancing academy. She tended to lump those things together, as it all had to do with her future.

And finally, there was the problem of what to do regarding her affection for Atemu. She had liked him for a long time, even while he and Yuugi shared a body, but she wasn't blind or stupid. The one time pharaoh evidently had more than friendly feelings towards Yuugi, and it was just as plain that the younger felt the same. It was an easy concept to figure out... they were two halves of the same soul, destined to always be together one way or another. But neither of them seemed to be doing anything about the obvious attraction. So that meant both were still fair game as far as dating was concerned.

And wasn't Yuugi the one who told her to always follow her own heart? To make a choice and never look back? If neither of _them_ were going to, why shouldn't _she_ take a chance?

_"Anzu, regret is a terrible thing. It follows you, and haunts you all your life. It's especially bad when you come to a crossroad of your life, or have to make an important decision. So... I would say that the best thing to do would be to make your choice, and never look back. As long as you do what you think is best, then you'll never have to regret it."_

Yuugi was often described as having such a child-like innocence, but there were times when he'd say or do things that'd betray that idea. He had a quiet wisdom that he often hid, revealing it only when necessary. It was one of many things she admired about her friend.

Anzu didn't know if Yuugi or Atemu had any intention of taking their relationship to a different level, but if there was even the slightest chance her feelings were returned, she had to know. If she didn't find out the truth, she'd regret it forever. And Yuugi himself told her how horrible that was.

Making up her mind, she got off her bed and clenched her fist in determination. "Alright! I'm gonna find out how Atemu really feels!" she shouted to no one. She marched over to her phone and quickly dialed Yuugi's home number before she could change her mind. Then she returned to her bed and sat on the edge as she waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello! Mutou residence!" came an elderly voice.

Anzu took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Hi, Mutou-san! Um... is Atemu there?"

"Oh, hello Anzu. Yes, he's here. I'll call him for you." She bit her lip as she listened to their grandpa shout for Yami, followed by rushed footsteps and a bit of scuffling as the phone was handed over.

"Hello?" Atemu's rich baritone voice flooded her ears and made her quiver.

"Um.. hi Atemu."

"Hey Anzu. What's up?"

"Not much. I was wondering, are you busy right now?" She decided that something like this should probably be done in person.

"No, not particularly. Why do you ask?"

Anzu took another deep breath. "Well, there's something I'd like to talk to you about. Something important. I was hoping we could meet somewhere tonight."

There was a pause on the other line. She felt her palms beginning to sweat from the tension. "Why don't you just stop by the game shop?" came the eventual reply.

"Well, y-you see... I really need to talk to you... alone, so..." She trailed off, not really knowing what else to say. She just couldn't think of a proper way to tell him that she didn't want Yuugi around when she asked him about his true feelings, not to mention a neutral ground would be far more appropriate. She had learned many things from watching her friends' duels over the years, one of which was to never give your opponent the upper hand if you can help it.

Another pause. "I see. Very well. Where should we meet?"

Internally, Anzu was doing a little victory jig. Having Atemu concede to her terms was a very good sign. She tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully. Yuugi was probably still at the park with that Hikaru woman, so that was out. An idea hit her. "Do you remember when we went to the museum for the first time to find out about your past? When it was just you and me? We were at the Domino Pier before that, right outside a little cafe. Meet me there in one hour."

Atemu seemed reluctant, but yielded nonetheless. "Alright."

"See ya soon!" She jumped up excitedly and hurried to pick out her cutest outfit.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late, Hikaru-san! I needed to stop at home and pick something up," Yuugi called out as he approached his friend. 

She smiled happily as he rushed over. "Oh, it's alright. Think nothing of it. How was school today?" Asking about his day had become her typical greeting.

Yuugi didn't immediately sit down, rather he began to fervently search his pockets for something as he answered. "We had a test today. I think I did alright." He grinned as he pulled something from his back pants pocket. "Oh! Here it is!" He held out a Duel Monsters card to Hikaru. "Atemu and I were having a duel the other day, remember the game I told you about, and this card reminded me of you. I thought maybe you'd like to have it."

She reached out and took it gratefully. Then she turned it over so she could see the image and description properly. "The Guardian Spirit," she read aloud. The picture was of a woman in a long white dress and flowing black hair, an ethereal glow highlighting her features. She held a staff, but appeared to be in a meditative state. She was surrounded on all sides by children.

Hikaru's smile faded and she suddenly looked very sad. Yuugi shook his hands to get her attention. "You don't have to keep it if you don't want to, of course..."

"No," she interrupted. Her smile reappeared as she closed her eyes, and she held the card up to her heart. "It makes me very happy that you think of me in this light, Yuugi-kun. Thank you."

Yuugi blushed, but grinned proudly. When she said no more, he took his seat beside her.

She looked up at him. "Did you get a lot of homework today?" she asked, changing the subject.

He shook his head. "Kaiba didn't want to work on our project today, so I got all my homework done during my off block."

"But Yuugi-kun, I don't mind if you have other things you'd like to be doing. Like hanging out with your friends, for instance?" Hikaru laughed. "Wouldn't you rather be with Atemu right now?"

The hikari blushed. "Don't worry about that." The ground looked rather interesting to him at the moment. "Atemu and me have spent so much time together over the last few years, I don't want him to feel like he _always_ has to be with me." He faced her again. "Besides, I like it when we have our talks."

His comment made her very happy. "I like it too. I really enjoy talking to you as well."

Yuugi shifted so that he was facing her even more. "I was thinking though, maybe I could teach you how to play that game. It's really a lot of fun, and all kinds of different people really get into it. I could loan you some cards to play with."

Hikaru unexpectedly looked very sad again. "Please... don't put yourself to the trouble."

* * *

Atemu walked at a brisk pace down the street heading for the pier, hands stuffed in his pockets, and staring at the ground for the most part. From the way Anzu sounded on the phone, he had a pretty good idea of what she wanted to talk about, and he just wanted to get it over with. 

He knew very well that the girl had a crush on him. Her flirting was fairly obvious. And though he loved her dearly as a friend, he just didn't feel _that_ way about her. He'd given his heart to his hikari long ago, and even if they could never have that kind of relationship, he had no desire to look elsewhere. He'd rather spend the rest of his mortal life alone than to just settle for something less.

As for Anzu, she deserved the absolute best, and he just couldn't give that to her. He would never be able to give her all of his heart, and that's what she ought to have from the person she'd spend the rest of her life with. He just didn't know how to tell her that without hurting her feelings, so he just tried to pretend there was nothing there. It was cowardly, he knew, but the one thing his life as a pharaoh _didn't_ teach him was how to deal with the complications of love and attraction.

He paused in the shadows and looked around the pier for his friend. He spotted her leaning over a metal bar, watching the reflection of the moon on the water. Her brown hair and the folds of a long pink dress flowed gently in the breeze, making for one beautiful picture. He had to admit that she _was_ very pretty.

Unfortunately for her, her beauty paled in comparison to Yuugi's in the pharaoh's mind and heart. He took a deep breath to gather his courage and slowly walked over.

The clicking of his boots alerted the girl of his presence. She turned and grinned excitedly at his approach. "Hey there!" She forced herself not to blush and stare at the ground.

He nodded, but didn't look at her. He too leaned against the bar and fixated his gaze at the water. He didn't mean to be rude, but he was very uncomfortable. "You look nice," he mumbled after an awkward silence.

Anzu couldn't stop the blush this time, despite his refusal to look at her. "Thanks."

Another long silence. "You wanted to talk to me about something?" Atemu finally asked. There was really no point in dragging this out longer than it had to be.

"Yeah." She shuffled her heeled feet, and her hands twitched nervously. "Atemu, I... I like you. I mean... I like you a lot." She continued hesitantly when he didn't say anything. "I like you as... as more than a friend. And I just had to know..."

Yami cut her off. "If I feel the same way?" He saw her nod out of the corner of his eyes. He sighed. "Anzu, you're a great friend, and a beautiful girl. You've always been there for me when I needed you. If it hadn't been for you, I might never have found the courage to seek my lost memories. When Dartz stole Yuugi's soul," he shuttered briefly at the memory, "your support allowed me to go on and continue fighting. And it was the cartouche pendant _you_ gave me that helped us discover my true name." He steeled himself, praying for the courage to tell her the truth. "But..." he trailed off, searching his mind for the right words to say.

Anzu's face fell and tears stung her eyes, though she still smiled. Funny how a simple three letter word could say so much. It took a lot of effort, but she put a gentle hand on Atemu's shoulder, inviting him to meet her gaze. "You're in love with Yuugi, aren't you?" she whispered.

His crimson eyes widened in shock and she couldn't help but laugh. "You're not as good at hiding things as you'd like to think, Atemu. We all noticed the attraction you two have. Even Jou was able to figure it out."

He chuckled at the joke. "Guess I'm losing my touch. Used to be, no one ever knew what I was up to." Turning serious again, he removed her hand from his shoulder and held it in his own. "Anzu, in a few months, you're moving to America and you're going to become a world famous dancer. You'll have all kinds of guys falling over themselves just to catch a glimpse of you. You'll be able to pick from whoever you want." He smiled encouragingly. "And someday, you'll meet a great guy who loves you with all his heart, who has eyes only for you. It's just... not going to be me." He gently let go of her hand and looked at the ground, golden bangs straying to cover his eyes. "I'm sorry." His tone was full of remorse.

Anzu bit her lip and brushed the tears away as she let everything he said sink in. And strangely enough, she was hurt, but was not heartbroken. Realizing he was waiting for her to say something, she reached over and lifted his chin so he could see her smile. "It's alright. You don't have to apologize. You can't help you feel." Her grin widened to show him she was sincere.

He smiled back. "Thank you."

She leaned back against the bar and looked up at the sky. Atemu did the same. After a while, she smirked and looked over at him. "So, when are you planning on telling Yuugi how you feel?" she asked. She was a little startled to see the former pharaoh blush.

"I don't know if I can."

Anzu laughed. "Oh my gosh! Are you telling me the 'great and mighty', one time King of all Egypt is afraid of saying three little words?!"

Atemu mock glared at her. "I'm not _afraid_! I just... don't want to ruin our friendship, that's all."

She continued after she managed to calm her laughter a bit. "Well, of course it's going to ruin your friendship. You'll be much more than friends after that." He opened his mouth as if to protest, but she didn't let him. "Atemu, you don't have to be afraid of Yuugi rejecting you or anything. He loves you just as much as you love him. Anyone can see that."

He looked over at her hopefully. "You think so?"

"I know so."

Yami couldn't help but smile. He'd always had his doubts, but having someone else say it... could it be true? Did Yuugi love him the same way? Suddenly a different thought struck him. "Perhaps you're right, Anzu, but I'm still not sure what to do about it." He frowned as he continued. "We haven't been spending much time together lately. Every day after school, he meets with that Hikaru woman at the park and doesn't come home for hours. And, it might just be me, but he's been looking a little odd lately." He didn't elaborate on that for the moment, because he wasn't even sure himself if he was just imagining things or not. "I guess I just don't understand why he's so attached to her."

Anzu nodded in understanding. "Hmm. I guess it wouldn't be as obvious to you. He probably doesn't talk about it much." She smirked then. "But being so skilled at strategy and reading your opponent, I thought you'd figure it out eventually."

"Figure what out?"

She turned and looked out over the water. "Yuugi said that Hikaru lost her son a long time ago, right?" A nod. "Well, Yuugi lost his parents when he was just a kid. It makes sense that they'd feel a connection." She faced her friend again. "I can't say for sure what Yuugi's thinking and feeling right now, but I do know this... they are bonded in their grief. They understand each other's pain. They probably take comfort from one another."

Atemu's eyes widened briefly before narrowing sadly. He too looked out over the water. "Yuugi, he... he's never talked about his parents. Not once in the whole time we've been together."

Anzu agreed. "All I know is that they died in a terrible accident when Yuugi was seven. Other than that, he's never talked to me about it either. But the pain of losing them probably still hurts him very much. I know it would if I'd lost mine."

Another silence drifted between them as they got caught up in their own thoughts, but neither made a move to leave. It seemed their meeting and their conversation had opened up a whole new road in their lives as the previous one grew dim. For Anzu, her conflicting emotions were now resolved, and her path was moving forward to a bright new future. But for Atemu, the light at the end was still dark and uncertain, and stretched instead towards Yuugi's hidden past.

* * *

Ryou stared out the window of his hotel room, fingers interlocked and resting against his lips, and elbows propped up on a table. His mahogany eyes were narrowed in contemplative worry, thoughts of his friends back home flitting through his mind. _'One stone stops and finds its resting place, while another begins its descent down the hill. From here on out, it can only continue to roll, and pick up speed.'_

* * *

Wow, that turned out to be much longer than I expected. Oh well. Had to be done. I hope you liked it, Cactus Bob:P

By the way, I'm pretty sure the card I decribed is not a real one. At least, I've never seen one even close to it. I just made it up for this fic.

One more thing before I sign off for now. Remember the little trivia contest I mentioned? Well, if you'd like to participate, here's how it'll go: I'll pose the trivia at the end of the next chapter. The first one to leave a review with the correct answer gets to make a request for a Yu-gi-oh! oneshot. You can give me a basic idea for a story (or a very detailed one), or just tell me a concept, a character, a pairing, whatever! And I'll write a oneshot dedicated to the winner using their idea. There's only one thing I won't write. A lemon. Don't get me wrong, I like lemons, I'm just very bad at writing them. There are other writers much more skilled than me when it comes to that. But anything else is fair game. I'll even write about characters and pairings I don't like very much, and I'll do my very best. The only other thing is that I want to finish _Hole In My Heart_ before I work on it, so it may be a while before it's posted.

I'm sorry, but I'm thinking I probably won't have the next chapter (and the trivia contest) up until next weekend. I just can't find enough time during work days to write. Hopefully that'll be enough to keep you satisfied for now.

In any case, please review!

StandAlone


	7. Distance

Chapter Seven!! Wow, I can't believe I managed to get it done this weekend. I'm on a role!

So, I got a little bored. And out of nowhere, I realized that I never put anything on my writer's profile. So if anyone's interested in checking out it out, I finally put some stuff about me up on there.

And finally... an entire chapter on Yuugi and Atemu!! Well, mostly Yuugi. Hikaru makes a very small appearance at the beginning, but that's all for this chapter. Time to get some fluff in here! Although not too much just yet. :P Mwa ha ha ha ha! I am so evil!

And as promised, the end of this chapter includes the trivia contest. But you have to read to chapter first, no skipping to the end, got it? Otherwise it won't make any sense. Please see the previous chapter for details on the prize.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh!, xxxHolic, or the Chobits quote.

* * *

_"Little by little, the time with you and me passes. Little by little, this space becomes yours and mine. Little by little, the distance is moving. Yours and my distance. But has the distance between us gotten smaller? Or has it grown bigger?"_ – Chobits, _Volume Four_

**Distance**

Two weeks passed quickly for all, but more so for Yuugi. It didn't really matter to him though. He was happy. Or at least he had convinced himself that he was. He met with his Hikaru-san every day after school, spending hours upon hours at the park with her. They talked, and joked, and laughed about anything and everything.

Sometimes they walked together beyond their little conversation space, but usually only if the playground was occupied. When children came to play with their parents and one another, both Yuugi and Hikaru would fall into an uneasy silence as they watched with small smiles and sad eyes. Though they told each other many things, neither seemed ready to tread the fragile ground of their shared losses, and so they'd watch until one of them suggested moving somewhere else. They'd stroll among the autumn groves, observing the beauty of the changing season all around them. Yuugi picked up an especially beautiful red leaf and gave it to Hikaru. She held it close to her heart and laughed as he jumped into the pile of leaves some poor groundskeeper had spent a good deal of time raking up.

Late at night though, when he was lying in bed, Yuugi would become very sad. He missed hanging out with his friends. He missed playing the newest games with his grandpa. He missed Atemu. He loved being with Hikaru dearly, but he loved the others as well. But every time he felt his heart ache from the loss, he'd tell himself that it was for the best. After all, with him away, Atemu was free to do anything he wanted with whoever he wanted. And he wasn't there to drag his friends down. He didn't get in anyone's way.

Still, he couldn't help feeling that something was wrong. What it was, he had no idea. He just knew that when the feeling came over him, his heart and soul felt hurt. No, not hurt. Empty.

"Yuugi-kun?" He looked up from his thoughts to face Hikaru.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry. I just got caught up in my thoughts again. What were you saying?"

She smiled. "I said it's getting very dark. Perhaps you should head home now. Your grandfather and Atemu are probably worried about you."

He shook his head. "Nah. They know I'm fine. Besides, it's not that dark yet." That wasn't entirely true, but he just felt so peaceful when he was with Hikaru. The empty feeling in his heart seemed to go away when he was with her, and he hated and feared it when he had to leave her. He didn't want to leave.

A low rumble interrupted them when Hikaru opened her mouth to protest. The sound startled them both, and they immediately looked to the ever darkening sky. After it subsided, Yuugi let out a shaky breath.

Hikaru remained calm. "Sounds like a storm's coming. It really would be best if you went home now, Yuugi-kun." She turned to face him and her smile melted. "Yuugi-kun? Are you alright?" Her voice spoke of deep concern.

She had a right to be. Yuugi's eyes had gone wide, but unseeing. His body was rigid with tension, and his hands were shaking.

"Yuugi?"

He gasped then, and relaxed a bit, but only a bit. He looked around as though trying to confirm where he was, then turned to Hikaru. "I-I'm sorry, but... I h-have to g-go now," he stuttered. He didn't wait for an answer, but rather tore down the street faster than she'd ever seen him run before.

"Wait! Yuugi, are you alright?!"

Her voice distantly followed him as he ran, though she did not. A voice in the back of his mind apologized for leaving her like that, but it was mostly overcome by a sense of panic.

He was nearly home when the heavens finally opened and poured forth a tidal wave of rain. Yuugi was soaked in seconds, but luckily he had only a few yards to go. He yanked open the front door of the game shop, and slammed it behind him, quickly locking it as though the tiny bolt really had the power to stop the oncoming storm.

Grandpa looked up from behind the counter and chuckled at the site of his drenched grandson. "Ho, ho. Looks like you made it just in time, my boy. Atemu was worried that you'd get caught in the storm."

Yuugi merely nodded in response before rushing past him. He barely mumbled, "going to bed," before he fled the shop and into the safety of his own room.

In record time, Yuugi had dried his hair with a towel and changed into a light blue pair of pajama bottoms. He couldn't locate the long sleeved shirt that matched, so he settled for a darker blue t-shirt that was just a little too big on him instead. No sooner had he put away his wet clothes when the onslaught began.

FLASH! BOOM!

Yuugi yelped and dove under the covers of his bed, horrified and ashamed of himself. He shouldn't be so afraid of a little storm. As a child, he never used to be. And it was only logical that a grown seventeen year-old shouldn't be either. But he was. He was terrified.

BAM!!

"Ahh!" His scream was more audible as he pulled the sheets over his head, though not as loud as the thunder. From the darkness over him, he used a shaky hand to slap himself. _'Stop it, Yuugi! It's just a little storm! It can't hurt you!'_

FLASH!

_"Syaoran! Look out!"_

Yuugi's closed eyes snapped open in surprise. That voice... how long had it been since he'd last heard it? Even in his mind?

BANG!

_"Mommy, are we almost there?"_

_A beautiful woman with grey-ish eyes and shoulder length blond hair looked over her shoulder to her son sitting in the back seat of the car with a smile. "Not yet, sweetie. We have a little ways to go before we get to Grandpa's house."_

_The boy pouted. "But I want to see Grandpa! He said he had a present for me!"_

_The woman giggled. "I know, I know. But we'll be there soon enough. Just be patient for a little while longer, okay?"_

Yuugi shook his head violently, hoping that the action would cause the voices to cease. It worked for a second, but his own will was overpowered by another flash of lightning.

CRASH!

_"Yuugi, will you please be quiet?" This time it was the man in the driver's seat who spoke. One hand gripped the steering wheel extremely tightly while the other ran through his spiky black hair wearily. "Daddy needs to concentrate."_

_"Syaoran... " The woman looked to her husband and spoke with both worry and a reprimand in her tone._

_He sighed. "I'm sorry, Sakura, but this storm is really making me nervous."_

The young duelist whimpered pathetically as the image replayed itself in his mind. He began gripping his head as though trying to calm a pounding headache.

ROAR!

_Syaoran swore under his breath and steered a little closer to the side of the road. The driver behind him was riding his tail and veering over, trying to pass. "I wish he'd just go already," he mumbled. _

_Sakura glanced in her side mirror. "Really, the road is too wet and dangerous to be driving like that."_

BAM!

Yuugi threw off his covers and stood from his bed, still gripping his head. He began pacing the room restlessly. "Please... please no!" he whispered.

FLASH!

_It all happened so fast. Tires squealed in quick acceleration. Another set screeched as Syaoran slammed on the brakes. _

BOOM!

_A low heavy horn honked a panicked warning from somewhere ahead. A flash of lightning combined with the bright headlights of an eighteen-wheeled semi._

CRASH!

Yuugi threw himself against the wall, begging for relief from the painful memory. His body trembled uncontrollably as tears began pouring from his eyes. "No! Stop! Don't!"

FLASH!

_"Syaoran! Look out!"_

SMASH!

_A horrible crack. Metal collided with metal, like the sound of thousands of tin cans being crushed at once. Deafening screams. Blood. Pain._

BAM! CRASH!

"No! No, please!" Yuugi was now huddled in the corner, sobbing wildly and banging his head against the wall.

Bam!

_The thunder seemed so quiet now. Everything was quiet. Sakura reached out a bleeding hand, searching for her son._

_"Yuugi..."_

He cried even harder and slammed one fist against the wall, the other practically tearing out his hair.

Bang!

_"Yuugi..."_

BOOM!

"Yuugi!"

He looked up, his cries briefly halting as amethyst locked with very concerned crimson. He felt his breath hitch.

Atemu knelt down in front of him and put his hands on his shoulders. He'd just finished pulling on a sleeveless black shirt to match his black pajama pants when he thought he heard screaming coming from his hikari's room. And he had felt a wave of terror and agony echo in the depths of his soul. Immediately, he rushed in to find out what was wrong, and was shocked to find his precious love huddled in the corner, banging on the walls and sobbing loudly.

"Aibou, what's going on? What's wrong?" he asked.

Yuugi hiccupped a few times, trying to compose himself, but it did little to help. He tried to say something, anything, but found his throat extremely dry. He shook his head.

"Please, tell me what's wrong," Yami practically begged. He'd never seen his little one like this before and it scared him deeply. Sure, he'd seen him upset and watched him cry more than once, but never like this. And the sorrow that pounded on his heart through their link... never had he felt this from Yuugi.

"A-Atemu... I..." He stopped and screamed when the thunder and lightning began to resound again, launching himself into his darker half's chest. The voices and images from his dormant memory returned, causing him to start crying all over again.

The pharaoh's heart broke as he wrapped his arms protectively around a very tense Yuugi. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He knew Yuugi was afraid of thunderstorms, but never had he reacted so strongly as this to one. He pulled him in closer and rubbed his back soothingly. "Shh. It's alright, aibou. It's alright." After a few moments, he pulled back when he heard the younger mumble something against his chest. "What did you say?" he whispered.

Golden bangs concealed wide amethyst eyes as his head bowed shamefully. "I'm a-all a-a-alone. Th-they're not h-here. H-hikaru's not h-here. A-all a-a-a-lone..." he trailed off when another thunderclap rumbled.

Atemu's eye twitched slightly at the mention of Hikaru, and confusion gripped him as he wondered who "they" were. Whatever it was about, it could wait. He kept one steady hand on Yuugi's shoulder as the other cupped his small chin, tilting it up until their eyes met again and pressing their foreheads together. "Aibou, you're not alone. _I'm_ here, aren't I?"

His light swallowed heavily. "You're not leaving?"

Yami wasn't sure what he meant by that, but shook his head nonetheless. "Of course not. Why would I?" He pulled Yuugi into another warm embrace, nuzzling him. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be here for you, Little One." To his surprise, rather than subduing his sobs, his words seem to increase them. He couldn't be sure why.

But he was sure that his knees were starting to hurt from kneeling on the floor, and Yuugi couldn't be that much more comfortable. Without a word, he gently lifted him up and carried him over to the bed. Pulling back the blankets, he laid his beloved down before crawling in next to him. He was glad when Yuugi didn't protest as he pulled him close, allowing the younger to rest his head against his chest. He wrapped one arm around his shoulders and gripped his soft hand in the other. He wasn't as tense anymore, but his frame was still shaking from quieter sobs.

Atemu wracked his brain for something else to say or do to ease his koi's pain. An idea struck him. Hesitantly, he started nuzzling him again and hummed an old lullaby his own mother had sang to him, thousands of years ago. Yuugi looked up, a little confused, but immediately laid his head down again and closed his eyes, slowly relaxing.

The thunder and lightning continued to echo outside their world. But with Atemu's quiet singing and warm, comforting arms, the pain dulled. Consciousness and memory faded as Yuugi slowly drifted to sleep, a content blush and grateful smile on his face.

Atemu continued to softly sing the old Egyptian melody until he felt his hikari's breathing eventually even out. He leaned up enough to see his face, and smiled peacefully. He had no idea what could possibly cause Yuugi to panic and sob so, but they could talk about it later. For now, he was happy to have been the one to comfort him. Careful not to wake his beloved, he pressed a single chaste kiss to the younger's forehead and closed his own eyes, following him to the bliss of sleep.

* * *

Aww... so cute! I know the whole storm thing has been done before, but at least I gave Yuugi a valid reason to be afraid. More of the past will be revealed in the next chapter, but you'll have to wait till next weekend! 

Until then, let's see if anyone can answer the trivia! Here's what ya need to do.

Remember the names I gave to Yuugi's parents above? I altered their appearances for this story, but they also come from CLAMP mangas. To win the contest, here's what you must do:

1. Leave a review. No credit if you just give me the answer! I want to know what you think of the story so far as well!

2. Give me Syaoran and Sakura's full names (first and last... which means you only have to come up with the last)

3. They made an appearance in xxxHolic, but they star in two other CLAMP mangas. What are they? Need both to win.

I don't think its really that hard, but it might be if you haven't read anything by CLAMP. Even so, a little research on the web will give you the answer. I'm taking the first answer that is correct and meets the above requirements. Good luck and stay turned for Chapter Eight!

StandAlone


	8. Binding Words, Part One

Finally! Chapter Eight! I've been finding it a little hard to sit down to write it. But I finally managed it.

First things first now... the winner of my previous trivia contest is... **Kyo Lover with little Sanity**!! Congratulations! Actually, you were the only one who submitted an answer. Oh well. You win!! Your prize is a Yu-gi-oh! oneshot, dedicated to you using the idea or concept you give me. If you want me to that is. If you only have a vague idea of what you want, please submit it the next time you leave a review. If you have something more specific in mind, let me know and I will provide you with an e-mail address you can write to. I will write the oneshot and post it on after Hole In My Heart is completed. Check out the end of chapter six for more info.

And for the other reviews:

**Atemu Yugi Lover34**: Yes, Ryou is quite the enigma isn't he? He'll have more to say in the next couple of chapters. Concerning the storm and Yuugi's past, the next two chapters will answer those questions. I considered several different options for how he'll react to Atemu when he wakes up, but I had to take a different approach for this fic. Sorry:P

**Spicey Babe**: Here's your update! Hope you like it!

**CosmicEssence**: I really want to thank you for being specific on what you like so far. Don't get me wrong, I love _all_ my reviews, but it really helps me as a writer to know what I'm doing well or not so well. I'm glad you appreciate my take on Anzu too. I don't mind bashing fics, but I just don't think it's quite as true to her character. I think she might be upset for a while, but she's tough and understanding. She'd get over it.

I know I don't have much fluff going on, and I must apologize again as this chapter won't have much either.

This one's also a little shorter than I meant it to be. After mapping out the plot and typing it all out, I decided to divide it into two chapters. So I'm sorry if this one doesn't have all that much in the way of plot content.

And, as a final note, I decided to jump on the Christmas bandwagon and write a oneshot. So that took up some of my time for this story too. Look for that one in the next two days (I'll have it up before Christmas Day).

Anyway, thanks for reading everyone! And don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-gi-oh! or xxxHolic.

* * *

_"Living beings... are bound by all sorts of things. Ties decided by nature... the flow of time... these vessels we call our bodies... this self awareness that we call our hearts. These are chains common to all living things. But... there are bonds that only humans can use."_ – Yuko Ishahara, xxxHolic, _Volume Four_

**Binding Words, Part One**

The next morning, Atemu was the first to awaken, surprisingly enough. It took his mind a moment to remember why he wasn't in his own bed and to whom the warm body lying beside him belonged, but he couldn't help but smile at the memory. It made him happy to have been the one to comfort Yuugi in his time of need. He'd been spending so much time with Hikaru lately, that Yami had almost begun to feel like he was losing his little one. The very idea pained him greatly.

But last night, during the storm, Yuugi came home. He could have taken shelter with Hikaru when it hit, but he chose to come home to Atemu instead. Maybe there was hope for them yet.

Smirking to himself, he gently shifted just enough so he could see Yuugi's face better and draped an arm around him again. He was still very tired, but he couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity to watch his light sleep, so peaceful and content. Very softly, he reached up with his other hand and tucked a few stray strands of his beloved's golden bangs behind his ear, thereby removing them as a barrier between them. Yuugi sighed quietly in his sleep, but didn't wake up.

However, now that he got a good look at him, Atemu's smirk faded. He had thought he'd been imagining things, but now that he saw the other clearly with the sun's rays shining on him, there was no mistaking it. He swore that Yuugi had begun to look progressively paler over the last few weeks, but now his face was nearly the same shade as Ryou's hair. In addition, with his arms wrapped around him, the younger's body felt a little thinner than normal too. Well, he'd always been too skinny growing up, though after their ceremonial duel, both had grown a little taller and put on a bit of muscle tone. But now, even with the oversized shirt covering him, Yami could feel his ribs fairly well.

Confused and concerned, Atemu decided he needed to examine him better. Moving very slowly so as not to wake him, he managed to pull himself free from Yuugi's grasp and sat up. He pulled back the blankets covering his little one, but only to his waist, and then reached for his dark blue shirt. He couldn't help but blush a little and had to shake his head to keep his mind clear, no matter how much he wished the shirt was coming off under different circumstances. He pushed back the fabric ever so gently, but only enough to reveal the creamy skin of his abdomen.

Just as he thought, Yuugi was considerably thinner, ribs now clearly visible. Atemu's crimson orbs narrowed as he leaned back and just stared apprehensively, wondering how and why this happened and why he hadn't noticed before. Now that he thought about it, he really _hadn't_ been eating that much lately. He still ate, just not in as large of quantities as he normally did. They always credited Jounouchi with being the self proclaimed King of Food, but Yuugi could pack quite a bit away when he was really hungry, especially if it was burger night. Not so, recently. Yami even recalled his aibou turning down seconds at Burger World a short time ago. That alone should have set off alarms bells, but at the time, it just hadn't registered.

Atemu looked him over again, searching for other signs that all was not well. After all, he couldn't be much help if he didn't know everything that was wrong. It took a moment for him to notice, but eventually his sharp sight caught what looked to be a slight discoloration of skin on Yuugi's back. It was difficult to make it out, as his little light was lying on his side, but Yami allowed his curiosity to get the better of him. Very carefully, he reached forward and lightly turned his beloved so he was lying on his stomach instead. He paused briefly when Yuugi began to stir, but luckily he continued to sleep on peacefully. He exhaled in relief, and then resumed lifting the shirt, exposing the younger's bare back. What he saw made him gasp in surprise.

Two great pinkish scars ran across the length of Yuugi's back, beginning at his shoulder blades and ending just above the hem of his pants. They looked old, probably both inflicted and healed years ago. Whether they were caused by a burn or several deep cuts, Atemu couldn't be sure, but he suspected they were strange combination of both. As he tenderly brushed his hand over them, he couldn't help but notice how much they resembled angel's wings.

_'So my angel **does** have wings after all,'_ Atemu thought, smiling slightly at the reference. Still, the scars only served to fuel his astonishment. How long had they been there? What had happened to cause them? Why didn't Yuugi ever mention them, and how is it that he was never aware of them while they shared a body?

His questions were interrupted, however, when his counterpart finally showed signs of waking. Not wanting to embarrass either of them or give Yuugi the wrong impression, Atemu hurriedly pulled the shirt back down, hiding the scars, and leaned away. He watched with a smile on his face when the young duelist's nose scrunched up as he absentmindedly stretched and yawned, seemingly in no hurry to open his eyes just yet.

Yuugi shifted a bit so he was closer to the side of the bed, allowing one arm to dangle over the side as he yawned again. How he hated mornings! Although he always made sure to get up in plenty of time for school, he didn't necessarily enjoy the process. If it were up to him, he'd sleep in as long as Atemu did. _'Maybe just a few more minutes,'_ he thought, snuggling his face back into the pillow. But then the idea disappeared when a low chuckle alerted him to the presence of another. He turned to lie on his back again, and blushed when he was met with happy crimson and a mischievous smirk.

"Morning, aibou," Atemu greeted warmly. He chuckled again when the light pink on his hikari's face deepened to brilliant tomato red.

"Um... morning," Yuugi mumbled shyly. Now that his mind was more awake, he was at a loss for words. His actions the previous night demanded an explanation, and Atemu was no doubt waiting for one. But he really had no idea what to say.

"How are you feeling?" the pharaoh asked gently. He had a million questions on his mind, but the last thing he wanted to do was overwhelm and scare his love, so he decided to just take it slow.

Yuugi could only nod in response, refusing eye contact as he sat up. He found his throat felt scratchy and dry and he coughed a bit.

Atemu reached out and tenderly put a hand to Yuugi's forehead. "Hmmm. You don't seem to have a fever." He had been worried that he might get sick from getting caught in the rain, and briefly theorized that being the cause of his light's pale complexion. Without breaking the contact, his hand slid down to cup Yuugi's cheek. "But you really don't look well." Atemu chose his words carefully, doing everything he could to put him at ease and cause him to open up. "Yuugi, what happened last night? Why were you so upset?"

There was a long awkward pause while the younger contemplated what to say. How could he possibly explain that his fear of thunderstorms stemmed from the memory of his parents' deaths? Would Atemu be angry for not confiding in him before? Would he pity him, or treat him differently like so many others before? Yuugi loved Atemu, and didn't want their relationship to change for anything (unless of course they became more than friends). And besides, it all happened so long ago. He really shouldn't let it bother and affect him now.

_"Whether it happened long ago or just recently... it doesn't matter how much time passes. When you lose someone you love, your heart can never forget it. And you never get over the loneliness you feel inside."_

Yuugi closed his eyes as Hikaru's words came back to him. What she said was true; it still hurt so very much. The pain and the loneliness never really went away. _'But it is **my** pain to bear,'_ he thought, making up his mind. Atemu had already done so much for him. He couldn't possibly burden him with more of his own weaknesses. So instead...

Yuugi looked up and grinned widely. "I'm sorry if I made you worry, but it's really nothing. I was just... overreacting to the storm, that's all. I shouldn't have made such a big deal of it. It was kinda childish, I know." He laughed sheepishly as one arm folded behind his head.

Atemu blinked in shock at his hikari's outright denial. There was no way he was telling the truth. He'd seen Yuugi cower during storms before, but never like that. Something was definitely different about it; something else was bothering him. He didn't want to upset him, but Yami wanted the truth and he wanted it now. He glared at his lighter half. "Aibou, don't lie to me." His voice came out a little rougher than he meant it to, but it couldn't be helped.

Yuugi immediately stopped laughing and cringed at the other's tone. "I-I'm not lying," he stuttered. His attempted cover-up was pathetic and he knew it. But nonetheless, he was determined to stick to it. "It was nothing. Really." He smiled again, albeit unconvincingly.

"I said don't lie to me!" Atemu almost shouted in frustration. He softened when Yuugi winced, and he sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell." He put both hands on his little one's shoulders and stared into his eyes. "Look, you know very well that I know you better than anyone. I can tell when you're not telling the truth." He smirked. "And you're a horrible liar anyway. So why don't you just tell me what's going on?"

Yuugi gazed right back into Atemu's eyes, blush lightly covering his face. He felt like his partner was looking right through him and into his very soul, reaching and searching for the great emptiness he'd kept hidden away from him. For a moment, his countenance faltered, and he considered revealing the truth. The ENTIRE truth, regarding both his past, and the reason he didn't want to share it.

But he couldn't. He just couldn't bear the idea of his own sorrows binding his beloved. "Atemu," he whispered after a moment, eyes straying to stare at his lap, "It's nothing. Nothing... I can't handle on my own. So please, don't worry about me." He didn't look up, but forced another smile to reiterate himself.

Atemu frowned and moved his hands to lightly take hold of Yuugi's face, forcing their eyes to meet again. "Aibou, please. You can tell me anything; you know that. If something's bothering you, then I want to help." An unpleasant thought popped in his mind. "It's not that Hikaru woman, is it? She's not hurting you or anything is she? Because if she is..."

Yuugi gasped in shock. "NO!" He wrenched his face free from Atemu's hands as he shook his head vehemently. "NO! It has nothing to do with her! How could you even think that?!" His face went bright red in anger, and the death glare directed at his other self could rival that of Kaiba's.

"Then what is it?!" Atemu half shouted back.

Yuugi crossed his arms in a huff and redirected his glare at the wall. "It's MY problem, and I can handle it. It's got nothing to do with you. So why should it matter if I tell you or not?" There was a brief pause as he tried to calm himself.

Yuugi gasped again when he was suddenly enveloped in a warm hug. He immediately melted as the accursed blush reappeared on his face.

"It matters because I care about you," Atemu whispered in his ear. He smiled a little when his little love shivered from the contact. He held him quietly for a moment more before he finally pulled back. One hand remained wrapped around Yuugi's waist while the other cupped his cheek again. "I like it best when you're smiling and happy. And I hate it when you're in pain. That's why... I'll do anything to help, to make you happy."

Yuugi titled his head to the side in slight confusion of this revelation. Internally, he heart was leaping in joy and anticipation. "R-really?" he mumbled. Could Atemu really...

He nodded. "Of course. I'd give anything to see you smile. You're my aibou. My hikari. My angel."

Yuugi's eyes widened in disbelief.

* * *

Sugoruku thought it was a normal Sunday morning. His boys were probably sleeping in while he set about making breakfast, drinking a cup of coffee, and scanning the headlines of the morning paper. He sat down at the kitchen table and sighed in contentment. Surely this was the life. 

That is until he heard heavy pounding and yelling. He glanced up in surprise when his grandson rushed down the stairs with his "adopted" Egyptian grandson hot on his heels. Both were still clad in their pajamas, but Yuugi seemed in a hurry to go somewhere as he was pulling on a black hoodie and a pair of sneakers. He set down his coffee and watched and listened intently.

"What? What's wrong, aibou? Is it something I said?" Atemu seemed both confused and hurt.

"It's nothing! Forget it!" Yuugi spat back. He struggled to stand and tie his shoes at the same time. "I've gotta go..."

"Go where?" Yami asked. "Seriously, what's wrong? Aibou..."

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!" Yuugi screamed. He fled through the front door and slammed it loudly, leaving a very bewildered Sugoruku and Atemu in his wake.

Atemu just stood there in complete shock. One moment he was holding Yuugi and asking him to tell him what was wrong, and the next he was chasing after him. Out of nowhere, it seemed, he'd gotten very distressed and said he needed to go. But go where? What happened?

He almost gasped when he realized what must have happened. Back in his room, Atemu had practically told Yuugi he loved him, with all that he said. He must have read between the lines and figured it out. And he obviously was disgusted and didn't return to affection, so he got upset. The elder duelist bit his lip as he glared at the ground, mentally berating himself. So that was it. It was all over. He just went ahead and ruined their friendship.

"Atemu?"

He whirled in surprise and saw Sugoroku looking at him strangely, tilting his head in confusion the same way Yuugi often did.

"Care to tell me what's going on?"

* * *

Yuugi walked at a brisk pace towards the park, hands shoved in his hoodie's pockets and mind reeling. A thousand thoughts and memories came flooding back at the mention of a single word, and he was overwhelmed to the point of dizziness. In the back of his mind, he was angry at himself for overreacting and yelling at Atemu, but he couldn't seem wrap his brain around a single thought, save one for the moment. 

_"Angel..."_

Of all things, why did he say that? Why did he have to call him that? Any other endearment would have been fine and welcomed, but that word...

"Yuugi-kun? What are you doing here?"

He looked in realization and spotted Hikaru sitting at their usual place, a can of coffee in her hands. Her long black shawl fluttered gently in the breeze along with the folds of her oversized kimono and the tresses of her hair. She was smiling happily, as she always was when he met her, but that smile quickly disappeared.

"You don't look well. Is something wrong?" she asked tenderly. She patted the seat next to her in a silent gesture to sit and confide.

Yuugi was still visibly trembling, but he sat down nonetheless. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and stared at the ground. They were silent for a while. Hikaru remained patient and did not press him to speak, and for that he was grateful. But he needed to talk to someone. He felt a pressure building up inside his heart and mind, and he needed a healthy release. He trusted Hikaru, and she would understand. He knew she would.

"Hikaru-san, if it's alright... I'd like to talk to you about... my parents..."

* * *

"I see. Oh dear. I can see why he's so upset." 

Atemu's eyes were fixated on his own cup of coffee as he sat across from Grandpa. He hadn't meant to, but Sugoroku insisted that he explain what the commotion was, and before he knew it the story just tumbled out of his mouth, everything from the storm last night to their conversation this morning. Normally, Yami was never so keen to talk about his problems or emotions, but he was feeling unusually vulnerable, and Grandpa had a way of making him feel safe and comfortable when discussing such things. So, after agreeing to some coffee, he reiterated the tale in exact detail, including every little word that was said.

For a moment, he wondered what their grandfather would say. He didn't exactly come out and tell him that he loved Yuugi, but the old man was an expert at reading people, a talent picked up in his own gaming glory days. What would he say to the idea of a three thousand year old pharaoh being in love with his grandson? Would he get angry? Disapprove? Would he ask him to leave? Then again, it didn't really matter, did it? Yuugi didn't feel the same. How could they possibly remain friends after this?

"I'm sorry," he muttered, refusing eye contact with the old man. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It just sorta... happened, I guess."

Sugoroku blinked in surprise before shaking his head. "What? Oh. If you're talking about you being in love with Yuugi, I think that it's wonderful. And you know," he leaned forward with a smirk and a wink of his twinkling eyes. "It's more than obvious that Yuugi loves you too. I've been wondering when the two of you are going to get together."

Atemu looked up in shock. "You mean, you're not mad?"

He laughed. "Of course not. Why, anyone can see that you two are destined for each other."

Yami looked away again. "But Yuugi... you're wrong. He doesn't feel the same way. You saw how he reacted." Again, the pain in his heart stung him at the thought of never being able to see or be near his love again.

"Wait... you think he was mad because... Ho, ho! My dear boy. Yuugi wasn't upset about that. I doubt he even realized what you meant." He winked again. "Yuugi isn't exactly the brightest when it comes to love. Friendship... he's got that down fine. He's just a little unsure of himself when it comes to deeper matters."

Atemu smiled, but was still very confused. "But, if he didn't catch on to that, then why did he get so upset? Why did he rush out of here like that?"

Sugoroku's grin melted and he sighed heavily. It was a few moments before he answered. He seemed to be contemplating a heavy thought and was searching for the best way to answer. Finally, he stood up from the table. Without a word, he went to a nearby closet and retrieved something from a shelf near the back. When he returned, he was carrying a large book. Upon closer inspection, Atemu realized that it was a photo album.

"Atemu, let me tell you about Yuugi's parents..."

* * *

Well, that's it for Chapter Eight! I know, you'll probably hate me for that. But like I said in the intro, it was just too long with the whole story in one chapter, so I cut it in half. I should have the next one out in a couple of days. 

Please review!

StandAlone


	9. Binding Words, Part Two

Sorry about the wait after leaving a cliffhanger. I had a really bad case of writer's block. Well, that... and extreme laziness. Won't happen again, I promise!

**CosmicEssence:** Thank you for your comments! I'm glad I've got you hanging on for more. I promise all your questions will be answered... eventually.

**Atemu Yugi Lover34:** I absolutely love reading your reviews! They always make me laugh. And they've been giving me ideas of little finishing touches to add. So thanks a lot! Yuugi's got several good reasons for not confiding in anyone about his parents, but unfortunately, you won't find out what they all are yet. Some will be explained in this chapter. And while Atemu may get mad, anger may also lead to some make-up fluff! But you'll have to wait and see! laughs evilly

**Pequena**: Thanks for reading, and I hope the rest of the story doesn't disappoint.

**Sanni York**: Seems like a lot of people are anxious about what Hikaru's up to. Heh heh... you will also have to wait and see. But I'll give you one little hint... everyone who's made a guess about her true nature so far has been wrong. Just a few more chapters, and the truth will be revealed! So just hang on a while longer, k?

**Cactus Bob**: LOL No, I'm not trying to kill you. Or maybe I am... shifty eyes Just kidding! If you have another heart attack from future chapters, you can go ahead and send me the doctor bill. :P

**Kyo lover with little sanity**: Hmm. Interesting. It took some thinking, but I think I've got some good ideas. After this story is completed, I'll get right on your oneshot (from what I planned out, it might not be a oneshot after all; I might have to divide it into a few chapters. We'll see).

This chapter might be a little confusing as it shifts back and forth between Yuugi and Sugoroku as they tell the same story, with a few flashbacks in between. I tried to make it as clear as possible, so I hope that it's relatively easy to follow. I did the best I could, but if a lot of people find it confusing, I'll try to rewrite it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh! or xxxHolic

* * *

_"Yes. They're scary, you know. These words. You can't take them back once they've left your mouth. You can't act as if they were never said. And without knowing how tightly they can bind... people continued to use these chains. 'Words' have life. And in time, they can even bind one's right to live."_ – Yuko Ishahara, xxxHolic, _Volume Four_

**Binding Words, Part Two**

Atemu watched anxiously as his adopted grandfather flipped through a family photo album, searching for a particular page. In the process, he caught small glimpses of what appeared to be wedding photos, baby pictures, and various newspaper clippings, but he couldn't make sense of them without further examination. A smirk found its way to his lips as he wondered whether there was anything embarrassing in there he could tease Yuugi about later, but that would have to wait.

Sugoroku grinned proudly when he found what he was looking for, and laid the book flat on the table at an angle so both he and Yami could see the picture well. He pointed to the large photo in the middle of the page as the younger man leaned forward for a better view.

"I'm sure you've already guessed... these are Yuugi's parents," he began. He tapped the image of man in his mid twenties with spiky black hair and amethyst eyes. "My son, Syaoran." Then he indicated the woman with shoulder length golden hair and grey eyes. "His wife, Sakura, and Yuugi, of course."

Atemu smiled a little as he ran his hand over the picture. Syaoran had one arm around his wife, while the other supported his small son, who was sitting on his shoulders. He wore an expression the one time pharaoh easily recognized as similar to Yuugi's game face: a confident smirk and a playful glint in his eyes that dared anyone to challenge him. Sakura was the absolute picture of elegance, as shown by her peaceful smile, the slight tilt of her head, and her folded hands. And Yuugi looked like a living bundle of energy; his wide eyes sparkling with mischief and a huge grin on his face.

"They look so happy," he observed aloud. He glanced up at Sugoroku in a silent gesture to continue.

He nodded. "They were." He turned a few more pages and pointed out another image. It was another family photo of the three of them, but this time a little white house and a small garden could be seen in the background. "Syaoran worked for a software company that designed and tested video games. His upper management position allowed him to work at home, so he could be with his family all the time. Sakura was a housewife and stay-at-home mom. The house you see in the background was their home, complete with a white picket fence." Grandpa chuckled briefly. "The only thing missing from their lives was a family dog..."

--

"Do you know where _Himawari_ is, Hikaru-san?" Yuugi asked, glancing over at her. When she shook her head, he continued. "It's a small town, about a four hour drive west of the city. You have to take the _Ame-Warashi _Mountain Pass to get there." He was silent a moment, as he considered where to go from there. "Since it's kind of a long drive, I didn't get to see my grandpa much at first. We made a few trips to help him set up and open the game shop, but outside of that, we didn't visit as much as I would have liked."

Yuugi lifted one knee so his foot was resting on the bench, and he folded his hands over his shin, balancing himself as he looked up at the clear blue sky. He laughed a little. "I used to love visiting the shop. Grandpa always gave me all kinds of games and puzzles. Whenever he received a new one, he'd ask me to try it out and help him decide whether he should stock it in the store, or just put it on an order form. Heh... Dad told him that was a bad idea." He closed his eyes with a fond smile.

_Syaoran shook his head with a grin. "Honestly, Pops, you should have known better. Yuugi loves **every** game you give him. You'll have that stock room overflowing if you let **him** decide what to keep." The three adults burst into a fit of laughter, while little Yuugi pouted, clearly confused as to what was so funny._

Hikaru giggled. "Oh, it sounds like you had so much fun."

The young man chuckled with her. "Yeah."

The air about them was comfortingly serene as she waited for him to go on. Hikaru barely caught the flash of pain that flitted across his features before he forced another smile, so it was clear that he was slowly getting towards the heart of the matter.

"When I turned seven, Grandpa called to wish me Happy Birthday. He said... he had a very special gift for me. A one-of-a-kind puzzle that no one had ever been able to solve before..."

--

Atemu's eyes widened in recognition as Sugoroku nodded. "Yep. I was going to give Yuugi the Millennium Puzzle for his birthday. I'll admit that I was a little worried, considering all the rumors surrounding it. But I tried to solve it, and nothing bad had ever happened to me, so I thought it'd be okay." He grinned. "I thought that if anyone could figure it out, Yuugi could. That boy could put together a puzzle before he even knew how to walk."

Both of them laughed, and Yami couldn't help but smirk in quiet pride.

--

"I was so excited about Grandpa's gift; I couldn't wait to have it. Unfortunately, he was too tired at the time to travel, and refused to just mail it. He said he had to give it to me in person."

"It must have been a _very_ special present for him to say that," Hikaru commented, beaming at him.

Yuugi nodded. "It was... the best gift I've ever received. If Grandpa hadn't given me the Puzzle, I never would have met Atemu." He chose his words carefully, as he hadn't yet revealed anything regarding the Millennium Items, or that fact that Atemu was actually a five thousand year old pharaoh that had until recently only been a spirit inhabiting his body. Hikaru hadn't inquired about it, which was surprising considering how vague his story about meeting him was. Nonetheless, he was grateful that she didn't pressure him at all.

He continued. "I begged and begged my parents to go for a visit. They said they wanted to wait because there'd been some reports of dangerous storms over the mountain pass, and they didn't want to take any chances." Yuugi suddenly lowered his head so far that his bangs overshadowed his eyes. "But... they finally got tired of my whining and agreed to go."

_"Alright! Alright! Honestly, you'll be the death of me, my little angel!" Sakura gave an exasperated sigh, but patted her son's head fondly anyway._

--

Something seemed to dawn on Atemu. "Angel..." He looked Sugoroku in the eyes. "Is that why he..."

"Hey now! It's rude to interrupt. You're **_not_** a pharaoh anymore, remember?" Grandpa chided with a wink.

Atemu chuckled sheepishly. "Heh heh. Sorry."

"It's alright. Now where was I?" Sugoroku tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Oh yes. Syaoran and Sakura finally agreed to come for a visit. The storms seemed to have died down, but they were still cautious about it."

Yami nearly winced when sorrow seemed to overtake his grandfather's features, making him look far older than he already was. He could practically see the heavy burden of pain that caused the elder's shoulders to droop. His crimson eyes narrowed in compassionate understanding as he forced himself to wait patiently for him to say more.

"They were going to spend a week here, and have a little family party for Yuugi's birthday. Syaoran called, right before they left their house..."

_Sugoroku wiped his hands hurriedly on his apron as he rushed to answer the phone. Flour was streaked across his face, and he was covered in cake frosting, but he was grinning proudly at his culinary accomplishment. "Hello?"_

_"Hey, Pops. It's me."_

_"Well, hello Syaoran. I was just finishing Yuugi's birthday cake. I hope you're all hungry for lots of chocolate."_

_An amused laugh was his reply. "I just called to let you know we're leaving now. The weather reports say there might be some light rain, so we'll be taking it easy, but we shouldn't have any problems. I just didn't want you to worry if we're late."_

_The elder Mutou nodded to himself. "Very well. I'll hold off making supper then. Thanks for the call."_

_"Yep. See ya soon. Love ya, Pops."_

_"Bye, Syaoran."_

Sugoroku sniffed a few times, working hard to hold back the tears. "That was the last time I ever talked to my son."

--

"Yuugi-kun?" Concern was written all over Hikaru's face as she watched her young friend. He had resumed leaning forward, elbows resting on his thighs as he glared at the ground. His shoulders were trembling, and he was biting his bottom lip.

"It was... it was fine at first," he whispered softly. It was obvious that it was taking a great deal of self control on his part not to burst with long suppressed emotions. "It was only a light sprinkle when we started up the pass. But it got worse as we went. By the time we reached the half way point, it was a full blown thunder storm." Yuugi hiccupped. "But I wasn't afraid. Mom and Dad were with me. They promised they'd always be there, and I'd be safe with them. So I wasn't afraid of the storm. I didn't know _they_ were..."

_Sakura jumped nervously as another flash of lightning revealed the wildly blowing trees on the roadside and the rain that pounded the pavement all around their car. She had suggested before that they pull over and wait a while for the storm to call down, but Syaoran was confident they'd be alright, and she trusted his judgment. A quick glance behind her revealed Yuugi looking all about them in great interest. She found it strange that her young son could be so calm at such a time as this, but it gave her strength, as did her husband's reassurances._

--

"If things had continued that way, they would have been fine. But... there was an unusual amount of traffic on the pass that night. The roads are narrow and can be dangerous even in perfect conditions. Add some reckless drivers in the mix, and it's a disaster waiting to happen."

At this point, Sugoroku had begun flipping through the photo album again.

--

_"Mommy, are we almost there?"_

_Sakura looked over her shoulder again to her son sitting in the back seat of the car with a smile. "Not yet, sweetie. We have a little ways to go before we get to Grandpa's house."_

_The boy pouted. "But I want to see Grandpa! He said he had a present for me!"_

_The woman giggled. "I know, I know. But we'll be there soon enough. Just be patient for a little while longer, okay?"_

_"Yuugi, will you please be quiet?" It was the first time in a while that his father had said anything. One hand gripped the steering wheel extremely tightly while the other ran through his spiky black hair wearily. "Daddy needs to concentrate."_

_"Syaoran... " The woman looked to her husband and spoke with both worry and a reprimand in her tone._

_He sighed. "I'm sorry, Sakura, but this storm is really starting to make me nervous."_

"Dad wasn't worried at first, but as we drove on, the storm just kept getting worse. But that wasn't all that was bugging him." Yuugi's hands clenched into fists as he replayed that night's events in his mind. "There was some guy behind us who was driving like a maniac. He was way over the speed limit, and he just kept passing people. No one knows why he was in such a hurry."

_Syaoran swore under his breath and steered a little closer to the side of the road. The driver behind him was riding his tail and veering over, trying to pass. "I wish he'd just go already," he mumbled. _

_Sakura glanced in her side mirror. "Really, the road is too wet and dangerous to be driving like that."_

--

"From what Yuugi and the police told me, some crazed driver tried to pass Syaoran. But he didn't see the semi truck coming around the corner at the same time."

_It all happened so fast. Tires squealed in quick acceleration. Another set screeched as Syaoran slammed on the brakes._

_A low heavy horn honked a panicked warning from somewhere ahead. A flash of lightning combined with the bright headlights of an eighteen-wheeled semi._

Atemu slowly shifted his seat over so he could put an arm around his grandfather, who had now begun to cry.

--

"Yuugi?" Hikaru put a soft hand on his shoulder as his frame began to shake even more.

"I just... it happened so fast. One minute everything was fine, and the next thing I knew, I was squished... I couldn't move. My back hurt really bad. Broken glass flew at me... but it didn't stop." Yuugi choked between sobs as he desperately continued, not really knowing if he was making sense or not. "There were more. They just kept coming..."

--

"The semi collided with the car that tried to pass Syaoran. My son... he couldn't stop in time. Neither could the other cars behind both him and the semi." Sugoroku wiped his eyes with one hand as the other stopped on a page in the photo album.

Atemu peered down to see a large newspaper clipping. He gasped at the bold print that screamed the headline from the page: "**Tragedy on the Ame-Warashi". **The subtitle under that elaborated: **"Fifteen Car Pile-up Claims 23 lives".**

--

Yuugi had been quiet for a while as he tried to subdue his cries. It helped that Hikaru had begun to gently rub his back in circular motions with one hand while the other held one of his. The contact was very comforting.

"Suddenly, everything was so quiet. I could still hear the rain, but it didn't... My back was bleeding really badly, and Dad wasn't moving. **_I_** could barely move. But that's when Mom..."

_Sakura reached out a bleeding hand, searching for her son. "Yuugi..."_

_"Mommy! It hurts!" The terrified child cried from pain. "I'm scared!"_

_"I know, Angel. I know." Her voice was fading, and every little movement was pure agony, but she paid it no mind. She was far more concerned with the smoke that was quickly filling what was left of the vehicle's interior. "Yuugi, you have to get out of the car. You have to climb out the window."_

_Yuugi sniffed. "I can't, Mommy! It hurts to move, and I'm stuck."_

_Sakura wiggled her way from the front seat to the back, wincing as jagged shards of metal and glass tore at her from all sides. It took a lot of effort, but she managed to crawl beside her son. Now that she was closer, she could see that his seat belt release was covered by the fragments of a door, and his back was bleeding. "Hold still, okay? This might hurt a little, but it'll be over quick." She negotiated her hand under the door and searched for the button, gasping when something dug into her skin. It was hard, but she tried to ignore the boy's cries at the pressure of her body as she leaned over him and concentrated on her task. She finally managed to press the release, but found her hand was now stuck. _

_"Yuugi, take off the seat belt, okay?"_

_"I can't!"_

_"Yes you can. Just take it slow, alright. Come now, you can do it."_

_With his mother's encouraging words ringing in his ears, Yuugi slowly removed the belt, crying from the sharp shooting pains the movement caused. He gasped in relief when it was over. _

_"Good job, Sweetie! Good boy! Now, listen carefully. You must crawl beneath me, and get out the window." She nodded towards the opening. She knew it would be difficult, as fragments of glass still clung stubbornly to the pane, and another car had collided on that side, further shrinking the opening. But she was determined that her son survive. "You can do it; I know you can!" she said quickly, knowing he would protest._

_Yuugi nodded and carefully followed her instructions. He continued to sob, and started to cough from the smoke, but he obeyed nonetheless._

_Sakura cheered her boy on, suddenly glad that he was so small for his age. She knew he was going to make, though she would not. Her words grew fainter and her eyes drooped wearily. _

"Mom... she helped me get out. I didn't understand why she was so worried at the time..."

--

"The horrible collision was bad enough. But the situation was more desperate than Yuugi realized. The crash set several cars on fire, and more than one had a gas leak." Sugoroku turned the page, revealing another clipping regarding the accident.

**"Ami-Warashi Explosion Seen for Miles."**

--

_Yuugi grinned happily, proud despite the pain that he had accomplished what his mother had asked of him. He was about to turn, expecting her to follow his lead, but there was no time or warning. _

_A resounding boom shook the earth. A flash of brilliant flames erupted from several different directions, including behind the boy. The force of the tremor threw him forward, heat engulfing his back. He landed with a loud thud on the cruel concrete road, eyes facing the mass pile of metal that had once been fifteen separate cars as he lay on his stomach. _

_He simply watched, his mind and body in a state of shock as more explosions detonated from the engines of the vehicles. His amethyst orbs widened as tears poured down his pale cheeks. He was no longer aware of the pain on his back, or of the rain that had quickly drenched him, deluding his blood and tears. His ears did not comprehend the muffled voices of the people who had managed to stop in time to escape the pile-up, and now rushed to render aid. He didn't react in the slightest when a stranger picked him up, declaring to the others that he found a survivor._

_It wasn't until much later that Yuugi's world would finally come crashing down when understanding sank in. _

--

Atemu fought the tears that had threatened to spill at this revelation. Instead, he focused on comforting Sugoroku, who had now latched onto him and was crying on his shoulder. He could barely believe it. Why didn't Yuugi tell him?!

"Ra... I'm so sorry, Grandpa," he whispered, hugging the old man.

He said nothing for a long time, choosing instead to let it all out. He would never forget that day. No one should ever have to know what it's like to lose their child, and it shattered poor Sugoroku. He remembered distinctly when he got the phone call from the police, informing him that his son and daughter-in-law had died. He had almost collapsed from the sorrow and shock, but managed to pull himself together when the officer told him that his grandson yet lived. As difficult as it was, he had to be strong, for Yuugi's sake.

After a good while, he finally pulled away and smiled gratefully at his adopted grandson. He sighed. "I wish that was all there was to tell, but... fate was not kind to little Yuugi," he continued.

Atemu looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Sugoroku answered by flipping a few more pages in the book. What he found was a loose page of a crumpled up newspaper. No care was taken to preserve this memory. "I don't know where Yuugi got this, or why he kept it. I found it in his room a couple of years ago when I was picking up his laundry," he said. He carefully unfolded the paper and soothed it out. "I wanted to throw it out, but... he must have wanted it for something." He frowned as he leaned back, allowing Yami to take a look.

The one time pharaoh felt a scowl forming on his own face as he read the title... **"Tiny Angel of Death Kills 23 People!!"** The article was accentuated by a candid photo of a trembling Yuugi. He looked like he was scrambling to get away from something, presumably the photographer. His torso was bare of clothing, but completely covered in white bandages. Well, they _were_ white, but on his back were clear red marks... the wing shaped scars soaked in blood.

"What the... what the hell is this?!" Atemu asked, outraged. He could see that Yuugi was terrified in the picture, and it angered him to think that someone would hurt his hikari, either physically or mentally.

"A tabloid," his grandpa answered, looking just as upset at the younger man. "It's a form of journalism, but not a very good one. The reporters, if you can even call them that, more or less just make up stories and pass on rumors. They'll _say_ anything and _do_ anything if it'll make them money. They prey on people's emotions." He sighed heavily. "It was such a huge story back then, every newspaper and reporter wanted some kind of exclusive. And there was no greater source or topic of discussion than the sole survivor of the crash."

Atemu's eyes widened in surprise. "Sole survivor?"

Sugoroku nodded. "Besides dealing with the pain of losing his parents, Yuugi had another, media fueled complex to deal with." He looked away, envisioning his grandson pacing the floor restlessly. When he spoke again, his voice was soft and full of tender compassion. "He never said anything outright when he was little. It surprised me, to be honest. Kids are typically so full of questions, especially when a tragedy like this strikes them. But he kept it all in, and never wanted to talk about it. But still... every once in a while, I would catch him staring at himself in the mirror or pacing around, mumbling..."

--

"Why? Why me? Why _just_ me?" Yuugi asked. With Hikaru's comforting gestures, he had finally calmed down after sobbing for a good long time, now finally ready to continue with his story. "I mean, I've come to understand my destiny, and that it was important for me to live." He didn't elaborate further. He wasn't about to explain that his darker half might still be trapped in a magic puzzle if he hadn't solved it. "But still... why was I the only one? Twenty-three other people were involved in the crash, but I was the only one who survived. But... why?"

--

"His psychiatrist told me it was _'survivor's guilt'_. He was ashamed that he escaped with his life while the others, including his parents, did not." Sugoroku's hands clenched. "The tabloid just made it worse. And it wasn't the only thing. According to the article, that cruel nickname they game him came from a woman whose fiancé had died in that crash."

"Some woman..." Atemu growled.

"...Called our Yuugi an _'Angel of Death'_ because of the scars he got and because he survived when _her_ loved one died," his grandpa concluded.

Yami had to swallow his anger before he asked, "But... why? Why on earth would someone blame _Yuugi_ for what happened?"

Sugoroku shook his head in annoyance. "Because she's human." When Atemu cocked an eyebrow in uncertainty, he explained. "Humans are, by nature, emotional and irrational. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, we seek understanding and logic in all things. But most especially, we want to understand when something goes wrong." He sighed again. "In order to accept the bad things that happen in life, we seek... no, we _demand_ a reason for it. Of course, the reason for the crash was the reckless driver that night. But no one knows the reason why Yuugi survived and no one else."

His brows furrowed in irritation once more. "So finally, that woman _made up_ a reason, and the tabloid exploited it. A photographer even went so far as to break into Yuugi's hospital room to get a picture of his scars." He nodded in agreement when Atemu snarled furiously, but took his hand to prevent him from punching the table in his rage. He looked him in the eye. "But the worst of it... is that Yuugi believed it."

The young Egyptian was shocked. "What? How could Yuugi believe something so stupid?"

Sugoroku quickly corrected him. "He didn't believe them outright. He was old enough to understand that the accident was in no way his fault. But as I said, the survivor's guilt made him believe it's his fault no one else lived." The elderly man bowed his head. "Angel of Death. That's why he reacted so badly when you called him angel. Those words consumed him, disabled him. It was because of that he spent so many years alone and friendless... so afraid."

Atemu huffed. "If I ever find out who that woman is... and that photographer..."

"They certainly didn't think about the effect their words would have on Yuugi. I wonder if they would have done the same if they did."

A long pause followed while the younger man processed all the new information. Yuugi's strange behavior the previous night and this morning made sense now that he had the rest of the puzzle pieces. But there was one thing still bugging him. "Grandpa, I still don't understand something. Why didn't Yuugi ever tell me this? Why did he keep it all in?"

Sugoroku was silent as he considered several possibilities, but none seemed quite as satisfactory. "Honestly, Atemu... that is something you'll just have to ask _him_."

--

Both Yuugi and Hikaru were now very quiet. A few stray tears continued to trail down the boy's cheeks, but he was no longer crying uncontrollably. One of the lady's hands gripped his lightly, her thumb brushing ever so gently over it.

"Yuugi," she finally began, "there's something I'd like to ask you." When he nodded encouragingly, she moved on. "I don't want you to misunderstand... I'm very glad you feel comfortable talking to me about all this. I'm honored, in fact. But you're..." She grinned and tugged on his hoodie. "I just find it a little strange that you'd rush out here, in your pajamas no less, bursting to talk about your parents. So I was wondering... did something happen to trigger this?"

The young man nodded slowly and explained what happened during the storm and his previous conversation with Atemu.

Hikaru looked appalled. "And you _yelled_ at him? My goodness, he must be very upset. Why didn't you just tell him what happened?"

Yuugi looked away. "Lots of reason, I guess." She gave him a look that demanded further clarification, so he complied. "I think... I was ashamed."

"Ashamed?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "My friend Jounouchi... his parents are divorced. His father is abusive and his mom can barely stand him. Anzu's are never home. Otogi's dad is insane, and Honda never talks about his. Ryou only just started getting in touch with his family again. And Atemu... his parents are long gone too, and I don't know anything about them." He clenched his fists again, so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "My parents are dead. Nothing anyone can do can change that. But it was years ago. And at least... I know they loved me. And I have a grandfather who loves me too. I don't have any reason to complain. It's not fair of me to."

"Yuugi..."

"I mean, I should be over this. And if not, I should be able to handle it myself."

"Yuugi..."

"I always feel like such a burden. All my life, I've always been weak and helpless. My friends end up taking care of me, and I..."

"YUUGI!! THAT'S ENOUGH!!"

His head snapped and eyes blinked in astonishment. Hikaru's face was red and her eyes narrowed in anger. He winced under the intense scrutiny.

"I don't ever want to hear you talk like that again! Do you hear me?!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him to get her point across.

"Hikaru-san?"

She took a deep breath and bowed her head. "Yuugi, you are NOT weak, just because you need a little help. And you have no reason to feel guilty about missing your parents. Everyone needs to grieve. Don't let anyone tell you differently. It's natural for you to feel sorrow, even now years later. We already talked about that, remember?" She released him and faced him fully, eyes gazing directly in his. "And your friends... you love them very much. So much that you don't want to burden them. I can understand that. But I have no doubt that they love you too, and would want to be there for you. Especially Atemu. He's probably very worried about you. Did you ever consider that he'd be more hurt by you closing yourself off than opening up?"

Yuugi turned away. Fresh tears made their way to his eyes as realization sunk in. "I... I didn't think... I thought..." He was startled when he suddenly found himself pulled into Hikaru's warm embrace. She had moved to kneel in front of him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders once more.

"Don't. It's alright. You didn't mean it. And you still have time to make things right." Her own frame started trembling; Yuugi felt his neck growing wet.

"Hikaru?"

"I'm sorry," she cried softly. "It's just... you're a good boy. Such a good boy. Everything will be alright. You'll see."

Yuugi's eyes drooped slowly and a small smile appeared. His own arms gradually moved to return the hug as he rested his head on her shoulder. _'Hikaru... thank you.' _

* * *

Well, there you have it. Sorry it was so long. 

By the way, the names Himawari and Ame-Warashi are also from xxxHolic. Himawari is the girl Watanuki has a crush on in the manga. Her name means "sunflower". I thought it was an appropriate name for Yuugi's imaginary home town. And the Ame-Warashi is a rain maker, or rain spirit... perfect for a mountain pass known for its storms. -

Leave me lots of reviews!!

StandAlone


	10. Burden of Love

I'm glad you all liked the last chapter! Your reviews kind of surprised me though...

**Blue Bull and Redconvoy: **Swing and a miss! Sorry. Honestly, it _never_ occurred to me that someone might make that connection. So no, Hikaru and the woman mentioned in chapter nine are not the same. If you remember back to chapter three, Hikaru lost her son, while the woman in the last chapter lost her fiancé. The woman has no significance other than what she said. Really she's just like a moral little tidbit I put in there. I was talking to someone at work about that, how as a society in general, we're just so calloused. We don't take the time to consider the consequences our actions and words might have on others. Myself included. Don't get me wrong, there are times that we have to get in someone's face and let 'em have it, if not for our good, than theirs. But I think everyone in the world could be more careful about what they say, whether they're talking TO someone or ABOUT someone. Ya never know how what you say might affect another person. So yeah. That's the only reason I put her in there and why I didn't give her a name or elaborate much. Wow, sorry about the long rant!

My intention with Hikaru's true nature is that it's a total shock when it comes out. And it looks like I'm on track. :P I've only had a few tiny hints so far. I'm hoping that at the end of the story, you'll all be like... oh! and then have to go and reread the story to _find_ all the little hints. However, I decided I should probably put a few more in there. So, **Blue Bull and Redconvoy**... take a bow, because the last half of this chapter was inspired by your reviews. :P

**Ani-chan7:** Thank you for your kind review. I hope you like this chapter!

**CosmicEssence:** Thank you! Yeah, Yuugi's scars are like supposed to be lines (cuts) as the outline with burn patterns adding a feathered kind of look. Hope that helps.

**Atemu Yugi Lover34:** Yep, that's why. I'm sorry to hear about what happened at your school. Lots of things like that happened when I was in high school too. We had this teacher in seventh grade who told us outright that statistically, we weren't all going to graduate. And sure enough, someone died every year after he told us that. Kind of a jinx if you ask me. I never knew any of the students that died, but we always had these really sad assemblies that made me cry. Anyway... I hope you like this chapter. :P

As a final note, there are only a few chapters left. Following this, I'll be posting the story promised to my contest winner. But if you like my writing and would like to read more, please go into my profile. I've posted the ideas I have for future fics, but I can't decide which one to do next. I'd appreciate some insight into what you all might be interested in reading next. And **Kyo Lover**, I've put a summary up of your fic. Tell me what you think of the idea.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Yu-gi-oh! or the plot from xxxHolic. Also, I borrowed a few more quotes from various sources for this chapter. They have been reworded for my story, but the basic principle is the same. They are listed at the end. So I don't own those either.

* * *

_"You don't only belong to yourself, you know. I doubt there is a single person in this world that belongs only to himself. When someone makes a connection... there is always something shared. And so people will never be completely free. It's **that** which brings out fun... and sadness... and love."_ – Yuko Ishihara, xxxHolic, _Volume Eight_

**Burden of Love**

After their talk, Atemu spent the remainder of the morning and the better part of the afternoon looking through the photo album and reading the articles regarding the accident. Despite his better judgment, he also read the tabloid story... a very bad idea which resulted in several broken dishes and the overwhelming desire to send everyone involved with its publication to the Shadow Realm. As cranky as Grandpa was with him for making a mess in the kitchen, he was rather proud of his restraint.

But now he didn't know what to do with himself. Yuugi wasn't back yet. He had wanted to go look for his little light, but Sugoroku recommended that he wait till he return of his own accord. Yami managed to occupy himself by taking a long shower to help him relax and clear his head, but it did little to help.

So at the moment, he was plopped on the living room sofa, staring blankly ahead as he tried to sort out his feelings. Certainly he felt sorrow and compassion over Yuugi's loss, but he also felt a little hurt that he had to hear about it from Grandpa. In fact, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. And that sucked, because he hated being mad at Yuugi. It just made no sense. Why would his hikari hide something like this from him?

Fortunately, Grandpa gave him a piece of advice that allowed him to feel justified in being annoyed with it all.

_"It's okay to be angry. Furious even. Yuugi didn't tell you. He lied to you. Perhaps not outright, but not saying anything at all qualifies, don't you think? But... I doubt Yuugi realized the impact of his denial. He probably has no idea how upset it's made you. So get angry, and tell him. That way, he'll change... he won't do it again."_ (1)

Atemu let out a long, stress relieving sigh. He had a feeling that it was going to be a very unpleasant conversation, though he hoped he was wrong.

_Click._

The ex-pharaoh perked up at the sound. Grandpa had left some time ago to visit a friend and wasn't due back for a while, and their friends would likely knock first before entering the house. That left Yuugi.

"Yami? Are you here?"

Yep. There was only one person that still called him that, though less frequently than before he'd recovered his lost name. Not to mention his secret love's gentle voice always made him feel so warm inside. No! _'Can't think about that now.'_

"I'm in the living room, Yuugi," Atemu called, his voice dull and tone even. He glanced over his shoulder and watched his other slowly enter. They made eye contact for only a brief second before the younger looked down at his bare feet.

"Um... can I talk to you?" Yuugi mumbled eventually. The open photo album and the scattered news clippings on the coffee table didn't escape his keen sight.

"Of course, aibou."

Yuugi rushed over before he lost his nerve, and sat on the opposite end of the couch, facing his darker half. He pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. An awkward silence ensued.

"I guess Grandpa told you, huh?" He nodded at the table.

"Yeah." They were quiet for a while again until Atemu felt the anger rising once more. "I should have heard it from you." He made no effort to keep the hurt from his voice.

"I know." Yuugi rested his chin on his knees and forced himself to keep looking up, even though his yami wouldn't face him. "I'm sorry."

Another tense moment. Finally, Atemu couldn't take it and glared at his other self. "Why, Yuugi? Why did you keep this from me?"

The boy cringed at the pharaoh's tone, even though he was expecting it. His talk with Hikaru had sort of prepared him for this. "It's... complicated."

"What do you mean _complicated_?! You should have told me!"

"Well, it's not like you ever _asked_, either!" Yuugi replied defensively. He shook his head quickly when he saw Atemu's eyes widen in realization and a guilty look flashed across his face. "Sorry. I didn't mean that. You're right. I just meant... well, it's not like the topic came up much. We were always so busy... winning tournaments, saving the world and all that. That didn't really leave a lot of time to talk about it." He chuckled nervously.

Atemu leaned towards him a bit, glare never once faltering. "Now you're just making excuses."

Yuugi slapped his forehead with one hand pathetically. "I know. I know. I was just... ashamed."

"What?"

The hikari sighed and quickly provided the same explanation he had given to Hikaru earlier that day. But before Yami could comment on it, he elaborated further. "And... I didn't want to burden you."

The elder duelist looked very confused. "Burden me? What do you mean?"

Yuugi sighed again and leaned his head against the side of the couch tiredly. "Yami," he began following a pause. "Remember the ceremonial duel?" A nod. "Ishizu told us that it was to test our readiness to separate. By defeating you, I was proving to everyone, and to myself, that I could get along without you." A few tears gathered in his eyes at the memory. "I hated it. Even though I knew I could do it, the very idea of having to live without you tore me up. I didn't want that." He brushed his eyes with the back of his hand.

Atemu's crimson orbs softened immediately. He closed his eyes as he bowed his head and smiled to himself. "I know. And I didn't want that either, Yuugi." He opened them to meet his aibou's gaze. "That's why I stayed. There was no way I could leave you. Not just for you, but because **_I_** didn't want to. I can't imagine life without you. No matter how peaceful the Afterlife might be, it's nothing compared to the happiness I feel when I'm with you."

Yuugi blushed lightly, apparently not expecting this bold declaration. He swallowed the lump in his throat and continued. "I... I feel the same way. That's why I was so happy when you decided to stay. But still..." He looked away. "Just because you didn't go, it doesn't change what the duel proved. I'm still supposed to be able to handle myself. I can't go crying to you every time something goes wrong or I feel bad. It's not fair to _you_."

"Me?"

"Well, yeah!" He hid the lower half of his face behind his knees, so only his wide eyes peered over at Yami. "You've always taken care of me, Atemu. And for that, I'm grateful. But you shouldn't have to anymore. I want you to be able to do whatever _you_ want to do, and not worry about me." He closed his own eyes. "That's why... I didn't think it would matter. I didn't want you to feel like you _had_ to be there for me."

"Yuugi..." Atemu moved over so he was as close as possible.

Yuugi jumped in surprise when he felt a gentle hand resting on his head. When he looked up and opened his eyes, his adorable blush reappeared as a result of their close proximity, but he bit his lip nervously at seeing the frown on his other's face and hearing the slight edge in his voice as he spoke.

"I can't accept that. I won't." When his little one tilted his head in confusion and a little fear, he smiled instead and calmed his tone. "You're so kind, aibou. So considerate. You're always thinking of others, always trying to help. But... I can't accept it. Not this time." He moved his hand to cup Yuugi's pale chin. "What happened to my hikari? The one that always wore his heart on his sleeve, never hiding anything? If you're sad, then show it. If you need to cry, then go ahead and cry. But don't hold it all in on my account. Don't say you're doing this for me. I don't want to be the reason for your sorrow or loneliness." (2)

"Atemu... I didn't..." He trailed off and the red tint to his cheeks deepened when Yami released his hold on his face and took one of his hands in both of his.

"Aibou. I've called you that from the very beginning. Do you know why?"

Yuugi thought he did, but shook his head anyway.

"We've always said, always known, that we are half of each other. Two halves of the same soul. Partners and soul mates in the truest and purest sense. But that's not the only reason." Atemu moved Yuugi's hand so that it was resting on his chest, over where his heart beat rapidly only for him. "I gave you that name because I want us to share everything. Never before have you hesitated to be there for me. To make me laugh, cheer me up, calm me down. Whatever. You involved me in everything you did, including me in your life even when I was nothing but a transparent spirit without a name or memories of my own. I don't want that to change." He shrugged casually and rolled his eyes. "So what if I have my own body now? My own memories? You once told me you'd give me yours. Is that still true? Because I want it to be." (3)

Atemu paused and leaned forward even more, until their foreheads were resting against each other. The movement forced Yuugi to return the eye contact when the pharaoh's previous actions caused him to look away in shyness. "Remember what I told you this morning? I said I wanted you to be happy. And I want to share in that. But life is hard, full of sadness and pain. I know you'll face times of sorrow and suffering. When you do, I don't want you to pretend it's not there. If you need to grieve, I want to grieve with you... be there for you. _That_ is what I mean when I call you 'aibou'."

Yuugi gulped as fresh tears gathered in his eyes. He had always known in his heart that Atemu cared for him as his friend and host, but he'd never before contemplated the true meaning of his bestowed endearment. It was one thing for a friend to say they'll be there for you, but it was another thing entirely when they were willing to take on the burden and share the load.

He looked down as his frame began trembling and almost laughed when Yami immediately pulled him into a tight embrace.

Atemu continued to smile, though he felt a little guilty now. "Sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to make you cry again."

This time, Yuugi did laugh. "It's okay," he choked through his sobs. "I'm only crying because I'm so happy." He quickly wrapped his own arms around Atemu's waist and squeezed tightly to reassure him. Then he sighed joyfully as he rested his head on his darker half's shoulder, burying his face comfortably in the crook of his neck.

"Aibou..." Atemu grinned as he tightened his own hold on his little one and inhaled deeply, allowing Yuugi's presence to completely fill his senses. All in all, he'd call that a rather successful resolution. The only thing that would make him happier at the moment was... oh... perhaps a declaration of undying love? Nah. A simple heart-felt confession? Maybe not yet. He'd settle for a kiss. Yeah. That sounded like a good idea. He pulled back slightly, leaned down, and pressed a chaste kiss to Yuugi's forehead. He chuckled lightly at the look on his face.

Yuugi couldn't believe it. Atemu... kissed him! Sure it wasn't much, but still! A kiss was a kiss. He instinctively put a hand to his forehead in a vain attempt to calm the pleasant tingles running across his head. And he was sure that by now his face had invented an entirely new shade of red. He shifted a bit so he could look into his other's eyes, searching to see if there was some form of playful mischievousness to betray his actions, but he found none. Instead, that piercing crimson gaze held nothing but deep affection for the one they beheld. He smiled.

Yuugi parted his lips slowly, as though about to say something in response but was stopped short. He swiftly pulled away and covered his face as he began to cough uncontrollably.

"Yuugi?" Atemu gripped his hikari's shoulders gently to steady him when he swayed. Concern was clearly evident in his voice. Though the matters of the past and their conversation had been a temporary distraction, the ex-pharaoh hadn't forgotten how pale and malnourished his dear koi appeared.

When he managed to subdue his cough, Yuugi smiled reassuringly. "I'm okay, Atemu. I think I might have just caught a cold from the storm yesterday."

Yami could see no trace of dishonesty in his features, and it was certainly plausible. He placed one hand on Yuugi's forehead and the other on his own, mimicking what he'd seen Grandpa do more than once as a rather basic measurement of the severity of his condition. "You do seem to have a bit of a fever." He removed his hands. "Would you like me to get you anything? Some medicine or a glass of water?"

Yuugi shook his head. "No. I'll be fine. I'm just... tired."

Atemu nodded. "I understand. Perhaps you should go upstairs and take a nap. It could only do you good." He was quite taken aback with the appearance of an impish smirk on the younger's lips.

Yuugi grinned at the idea that popped into his head and decided to just go with it. He was sure by now that his partner wouldn't mind. Without saying a word, he crawled onto Atemu's lap and snuggled in his arms, giggling at the reaction it caused.

Atemu had the grace to blush himself for once at his hikari's bold action. He didn't mind in the slightest of course; he just wasn't used to it. "Yuugi?"

The boy closed his eyes as he buried his head in the elder's chest. "Please... just let me rest here. Just... for a little while." His voice was soft, wistful... and tired.

Atemu smiled as his arms wound their way around the other's frame once more and he nuzzled him. "You'll always be welcome to, aibou." With no desire to move from his current position, he kissed to top of Yuugi's head before resting his own on it.

Both of them gradually fell into a deep slumber, safe and content in one another's arms.

* * *

"Atemu? Wake up. Atemu..." 

The former king of Egypt swatted at the hand attempting to shake him awake irritably. He was having a really good dream and was not eager to end it right now. The voice, however, was quite insistent. With a low growl, he forced one eye open and glared at Sugoroku.

Normally, their grandpa would cringe away from such a look, but both boys' current position allowed for a good-natured smirk instead. He couldn't comment on it at the moment though. "Sorry to wake you, Atemu, but Ryou's on the phone. He says it's very important that he speak with you."

Yami groaned in frustration. After all, this was only the second time he'd been able to wake up with his secret love in his arms, and he was very quickly getting used to and enjoying the feeling. Still, he figured he'd better comply. With a little help from Grandpa, he managed to gently move Yuugi off of his lap without waking him and stood up to stretch. He sudden lack of his aibou's warmth caused him to growl again as he headed for the kitchen phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Atemu! How are you?" Ryou's voice was just as cheerful and pleasant as always.

_'Fine, until you called,'_ he was tempted to say. Instead, he only muttered a grumpy, "Alright." Mentally, he was quite surprised and proud of himself for once more showing restraint. "And you?"

"Good! Very good."

An uneasy stillness followed, which only further soured Atemu's mood. Ryou called _him_, after all, so he should be the one talking. It was kind of strange anyway, considering he wasn't as close to the former white-haired hikari as Yuugi was. So why would he ask for him?

"Ryou? Still there?"

A noise on the other line seemed to indicate that he'd jumped in surprise. "Uh... yeah. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Um... about what I called to tell you. H-how's Yuugi doing? Is he alright?"

Atemu's brows furrowed slightly in suspicion. "He's fine. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing unusual has happened recently?"

Yami shrugged to himself as he leaned against the wall. "Not really. He and I had a bit of... a disagreement, but that's about it. Why?"

"Disagreement? What was it about?" Ryou tone perked up considerably. The former pharaoh could almost see him straightening in sudden interest.

"Uh... his parents." He didn't feel comfortable discussing it yet. He felt that Yuugi should decide if and when he wanted to talk about the whole thing to his other friends, so he didn't say more than that.

"Parents, huh? Hmm, now it makes sense."

To say Atemu was both confused and apprehensive was an understatement. "What makes sense?"

Another pause was followed by an eventual sigh. "Atemu, do you know what I like best about Yuugi?" Ryou didn't actually give him the chance to reply. "He sees things that nobody else does. Take us, his friends I mean, for example. Jounouchi and Honda used to be nothing but petty thugs and bullies who picked on everyone, including Yuugi. But he saw past all that. He saw that they were good guys capable of great things. Jounouchi's become a hero and a great duelist in his own right, but it wouldn't have happened if Yuugi didn't take a chance on him. And me... Yuugi forgave me and chose to overlook all the things that _he_ did through me." The boy shuddered at the mere mention of the evil spirit he was once a vessel for. "He made me see that I was still a good person, that it wasn't my fault and there was nothing I could have done differently to prevent anything that happened."

"But it's not just internal things he sees. How many of us are still awed by a sunrise, or a sunset? How many of us still have the childlike innocence resting in our souls that notices the seemingly ordinary and the mundane? Not very many. Do you know why that is?"

Atemu was quite surprised at the turn in conversation. But he sensed that Ryou had a reason for it, but had to make a point first. "No. I'm not sure that I do."

"It's because of the light in his heart and soul. His _spirit_ values the things other people take for granted. His _heart_ is kind and loving, always ready and willing to help and care for another human being. It's that beautiful light that allows him to see those things. That light... that draws others in, makes them feel safe and loved. People can't help but be attracted to that. Sometimes it frightens them, and so they do what they can to extinguish it. But most times, it's just so warm and inviting that you can't help but want to be his friend, be close."

"_Many_ things are drawn to Yuugi... some strange, and some ordinary. Some good... and some evil. And the light of his heart allows him to **_see_**." Ryou's voice held the air of mystic as he concluded.

Atemu blinked slowly as his mind processed all that he said. "What exactly are you trying to say, Ryou?"

He sighed sadly. "I can't tell you."

"What?" He couldn't have heard that right.

"I can't tell you, Atemu. I'm sorry." Ryou's apology sounded genuine.

Yami growled, very agitated. "Why not? What was the point of telling me all this then?"

"To warn you."

His crimson eyes narrowed warily. "Warn me? Of what?"

"Atemu... there's a lot I don't know. I wish I could say it was all clear to me, but it isn't." He sounded quite worried as he went on. "But this much I do know... Yuugi's life is in danger. It's probably already begun."

"What has? What do you mean?" Now he was really frustrated. If his aibou was in trouble, and Ryou knew what it was, why wouldn't he say so? Why wouldn't he do everything in his power to help?

He seemed to read his mind. "Because Yuugi _needs_ this to happen. It'll be hard, but it's for his own good."

Atemu slammed his fist on the kitchen counter. "What the hell are you talking about?! How can something dangerous be good for him?!"

"You were."

Atemu blinked. "Huh?"

"Well, you were. I mean... when you first met Yuugi, you were a spirit that could take over his body and use shadow magic to punish people. And as time went on, you went on all kinds of dangerous journeys together. Yuugi could have been killed any one of those times. In fact, he almost was."

Atemu gasped in realization. It's not that he didn't already know that. He just hadn't given it much thought. After all, the world needed saving and he was the only one who could do it. It couldn't be helped that Yuugi got mixed up in it all as well.

"I'm not trying to be mean, or anything Atemu. It's just the truth. But as risky as it was, as _you_ were, Yuugi needed it. He needed you. And you needed him. It was fate that you two should meet, and your destinies intertwine. This is no different." Ryou gave him a moment to let it sink in before he continued. "But... I'm still worried. I know in my heart that this needs to happen, but I also know Yuugi. He can be very reckless, and emotional. You know how he is. He's so eager to help others that he doesn't think about the consequences of his actions. Actually, he's quite selfish that way. He just throws himself in harm's way without even considering how all the people he cares about might be affected. That's why... I called to tell you." (4)

A loud exhale followed before he concluded. "Atemu, it's going to be hard, but you have to take care of Yuugi. It'll hurt to watch him suffer, but you must understand that he needs this. Just... don't let him get carried away. Follow him to the edge of the River Styx, but _don't_ let him cross over. Understand?" (5)

To be honest, Yami felt quite dizzy. His head was spinning wildly with all this seemingly random information. It was like someone was giving him a game and telling him to play, without revealing the rules or directions. It made him feel so helpless, out of control. And he despised that. He very desperately wanted Ryou to just come right out and tell him what was going on, but he knew it was futile. He supposed the only thing he could do was just agree and hope for the best. "I'll do my best, Ryou."

He seemed satisfied with that answer. "Good. Because you know, if something happens to Yuugi, you won't be the only one affected by it."

"I know. I understand."

"Good."

Both waited for another awkward moment before Ryou spoke again. "Well, I guess I better get going. It's getting late."

"Okay."

"Take care, alright? Say hi to Yuugi for me!" His voice was almost instantly lively and carefree again.

"I will. Later."

"Bye." A soft click effectively ended the conversation.

Atemu let out a long breath. He could feel a very bad headache developing as another wave of annoyance and worry washed over him. Ryou had certainly given him a lot to think about, hadn't he?

He gradually made his way back into the living room and stared at his still sleeping hikari. That gentle smile had remained on his lips, a small indication that the young one was blissfully unaware of what the future held for him.

Atemu shook his head as he headed over and sat on the floor beside him. Then he took one of Yuugi's hands as he laid his head next to his on the cushion. After placing a tender kiss on his cheek, he began to lovingly caress his other's face. "Don't you worry, Yuugi. I'll always take care of you. I promise."

* * *

Wow. That chapter was quite long as well. Anyway, what did you think of Atemu and Yuugi's conversation in the first half? Was it believable? I hope so.

As I said in the intro, the numbers indicate quotes I borrowed from various sources, though I reworded them to fit this fic better. They are from:

1) xxxHolic, _volume seven_

2) Chrono Crusade, _volume six_

3 & 5) Yu-gi-oh! Duelist, _volume ten_

4) xxxHolic, _volume eight_

So, any new guesses about Hikaru and Yuugi? LOL I can't wait.

Please review!

StandAlone


	11. Change in the Wind

I was in a hurry to get this chapter done, so I'm sorry for not responding to reviews here. But thank you for those of you who did review! I promise I'll respond to all of them in the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own

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_"If you continue to keep such matters to yourself... you'll bring sadness to those who watch over you. And also... keeping such secrets will serve to change nothing."_ – Ashura-o, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _Volume Nine_

**Change in the Wind**

Despite Ryou's strange warning, Atemu felt that things pretty much returned to normal over the next few days. He was back to helping Grandpa in the store while Yuugi returned to school. And except for a bit of a persistent cough, the hikari showed no signs of anything remotely life threatening. In fact, he seemed far more joyful than he'd ever been before, which in turn made Atemu happy.

Only two things could have improved their life as far as the former pharaoh was concerned. The first was that Yuugi was still spending a lot of time away from home, visiting Hikaru. Now, to be fair, he couldn't possibly pass judgment on a woman he had yet to meet. All that he knew of her he heard second hand from Yuugi. He'd asked him a few times before if he could tag along and meet her, but his light seemed strangely reluctant. Grandpa had theorized that perhaps he just wasn't ready to share his newest friend with everyone else, that he feared her introduction to the group would change the comfortable relationship he seemed to share with her. Atemu wasn't sure he understood, but decided to just let it be. Besides, he was far more interested in his second problem.

Yami's other issue was that he still hadn't been able to voice his deepest feelings for his beloved. However, the various conversations he'd had with both Anzu and Sugoroku, as well as Yuugi's actions the other night, convinced him that his little one did in fact reciprocate his love. But now he didn't know what to do about it. Should he just come right out and tell him how he felt? He didn't think he'd be able to. How could he _possibly_ put into words his truest and deepest affections? All the languages of the earth had yet to invent the proper words for him. Perhaps he could find a way to _show_ him. Maybe... a romantic date? A whole day doing all of their most favorite activities? He wasn't sure. He needed to think of something special. Something that would sweep him off his feet.

Atemu grinned as his mind flooded with several different ideas on how to take that next step with Yuugi. He mentally pushed aside the few (or perhaps not so few) ideas that involved the bedroom, to be retrieved at a later date, and instead entertained the "tamer" thoughts.

But the more Atemu thought about it, the more he realized that he wasn't entirely sure as to what qualified as "romantic" in this age. It really hadn't been an issue when he ruled Egypt, as the pharaoh could technically have whatever (or whoever) he wanted, no questions asked. In spite of this, he had never actually found anyone he was willing to give his heart, or his body, to three thousand years ago, and the Shadow wars kept him far too busy for such things anyway. Really, his ideas were actually beginning to look rather lame.

Yami frowned, frustrated that this was probably something he should get some advice with. The questions was... who to ask? None of his friends seemed like good candidates.

He let out a long sigh as he glanced up at the clock on the far wall of the game shop. Well, they were all in school at the moment, so it would just have to wait. The love sick pharaoh folded his arms on the counter and rested his chin on them, eyes trained on the clock. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Yuugi hesitantly wrote a few numbers down on his worksheet before hastily erasing them once more in annoyance. For some reason, he was finding it difficult to concentrate today. Problems that should have been relatively straightforward suddenly weren't, most likely because his mind kept wandering to other things. If Kaiba didn't keep interrupting him, he wouldn't have gotten anything done.

Their math project was due in two weeks and they were almost done. It was a good thing too, as both Yuugi and Seto thought that their instructor had succeeded in making something that should have been simple into something so ridiculously complex. The object was to build a Rube Goldberg machine (1) that demonstrated all the mathematical and scientific principles they'd studied so far. Easy enough on its own, but Kanade-sensei made it as challenging as she could but giving them no instructions whatsoever. Instead, she gave them worksheets and a letter guide: the students would have to solve each problem, and then match up the numerical answer to a corresponding letter on the guide. Once they had all the letters, they had to unscramble them, which in turn revealed the instructions. Each week, she gave them more sheets that revealed more directions. It was all really irritating.

Thankfully, this was the last sheet Yuugi had to solve. And he was actually quite glad he got paired with Kaiba as he was much better at building things and construction in general, what with his long deft fingers and technical minded brain. So they agreed early on that he would build the model while his spiky haired counterpart figured out all the calculations and took care of the written final report.

But today the correct answers seemed to elude Yuugi. He couldn't focus, and that only served to further sour Seto's mood and the uneasy peace the rivals now shared. There were just so many more interesting things to think about besides his unfinished equations.

The young duelist spent the better part of the morning wondering about the beautiful yami waiting for him at home. A dreamy grin touched his lips for the hundredth time that day as he pictured Atemu, leaning on the counter of the game shop, drumming his fingers in extreme boredom. That's typically how Yuugi found him when he got home from school and he loved it. The dignified pharaoh wasn't usually one for hyperactive displays, but he was always so happy to see his hikari that he practically pounced on him before he even got through the door. Not that Grandpa didn't help or keep him company at all, but there was only so much one could talk about it before you ran out of things to say. It was worse on a slow business day, but even when the shop boasted a lot of costumers, there wasn't much to do except run the register and exchange a few pleasantries.

"Yuugi, are you done yet?"

The boy blinked and shook his head the wake himself, then glanced down at his sheet. He threw a sheepish smile in Seto's direction. "Um... I still have ten problems left." He had been working on the same ones for the past half an hour.

Kaiba glared at him. "Well then hurry up and finish them! I can't complete the machine until you figure out the last of the instructions."

"I know; I know. Just hold on..."

Seto rolled his eyes and went back to tweaking the first half of the model.

Yuugi nodded to himself. He was right; they really needed to get this done. He closed his eyes and took a deep, relaxing breath, exhaling slowly. _'Okay now, Yuugi, concentrate. These aren't that hard; you can do this no problem.' _He steeled himself, determination shining in his amethyst eyes as he scanned the next formula. He smirked as he easily solved the next two, mentally cheering at this small accomplishment. He was about to start the third when another coughing fit attacked him. It didn't worry him much, since he'd suspected it was just a cold from the storm a few nights ago, but it apparently affected Kaiba.

He raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. "Cold?"

Yuugi nodded as his coughs subsided. He exhaled again and wiped a sleeve across his forehead. "Probably. I got drenched in that storm a couple days ago."

Seto continued working on the model as he spoke. "Go see a doctor after school." Though it sounded more like an order, Yuugi knew it was just a suggestion. In all the time they spent together, he had finally come to understand and correctly interpret the CEO's own language, even if the others had not. His comment may have been gruff, but the younger duelist knew that it was just his rough way of expressing his concern. And he couldn't bother to have people thinking he actually cared, so he added, "I don't have time to catch whatever you've got."

Yuugi smiled and nodded as he resumed his calculations. He didn't feel that he really deserved it, but it was still nice that so many people cared about his well being. _All_ of his friends had actually suggested he see his doctor, though he didn't understand why. It was just a cold after all. Even Hikaru seemed worried.

He paused in his writing, a frown flitting across his face as the problem's solution evaporated like a mist in the wind, replaced by unease. Hikaru had been acting strange the other day, and it hurt Yuugi to imagine her in pain. She had been there for him, done so much for him and he only wanted to repay the kindness. But when he asked about it, she seemed so sad and reluctant.

Once more, he gave up on getting his work completed in favor of replaying their conversation in his mind...

_"You really shouldn't have, Yuugi-kun!" She was blushing like a school girl as she shyly examined the bouquet of flowers he'd brought her._

_He grinned proudly, pleased that he'd made her so happy. "It's alright. I wanted to. I just..." He stopped and sat down, looking away as he blushed too. "I just wanted to thank you, for being there for me the other day." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have you to talk to."_

_Hikaru smiled softly. "I'm sure you would have been fine. You have so many people who care about you. You would have just confided in someone else instead."_

_Yuugi looked up at her. "That's not true. I mean... I was just never comfortable talking about my parents to anyone. I think, if you hadn't been here, I would have just kept it all in, bottled up inside until I exploded." His smiled widened. "But thanks to you, I feel so much better now. I don't have to keep it all in. And, if it weren't for your advice, I never would have been able to talk to Atemu about it either. You gave me the courage I needed to face my fear. And that's why... I just wanted to thank you." He blushed again._

_"Well, in that case, you've very welcome, Yuugi-kun. And I'm glad I was able to help you."_

_"So, I know it's not much, but I hope you like the flowers. And you know..." He sat up straight and looked directly into her eyes. "If you ever need anything, if you ever need to **talk** about anything, I'll be here for you. I promise." Yuugi didn't want to force her to divulge the details of her own painful past, but he wanted to assure her that he'd listen when she was ready._

_Hikaru picked up on the hint, but instead of looking happy, her features dropped in unexpected sadness. "I know. And, thank you for saying so Yuugi, but I... I just can't."_

_The young man certainly hadn't expected that. "I... why? I mean, I understand if you've not ready to talk about it, but it might help." He reached over and touched her hand gently._

_She closed her eyes and sighed slowly. "Yuugi," she began, but thought to herself for a moment before she continued. "Memories are so very powerful. They help define who we are. They shape us as individuals. Certainly our appearances, as well as many other factors, identify and separate us from those around us, but it is our memories... our experiences and what we do as a result of them that truly make us unique. Two people might face the exact same thing, but their minds and hearts will process it differently, and so become different people." She stopped again and waited for him to soak in her words, and smiled slightly at the confused frown on his face. "Memories can bring you happiness, or they can bring sorrow. They can move you forward or lock you in place and prevent you from moving on. Such is the power they hold over us."_

_"Some memories... are even more powerful than that. So powerful, that we ourselves cannot control them."_

_"Hikaru-san?"_

_"No matter how hard we try, we just can't... we can't erase them. We can't pretend they never happened. And we can't control them. No matter how hard we try. We can't control them, or what happens as a result of them. But we can't help ourselves. We can only hope for the best."_

_"Hikaru-san, what is it you're trying to say?" Yuugi certainly understood what she was talking about. After all, the memory of his parent's death had such an affect on him that he wasn't able to properly move on until now. And seeking for Atemu's lost memories caused a whole mess of trouble. As Hikaru had just said, they had to hope for the best. But he also sensed that she might be talking about something completely different, and he couldn't say what it was._

_She breathed out and returned the eye contact, smiling tenderly but eyes shining with unshed tears. "It's nothing. Please don't concern yourself with me, Yuugi-kun. I'll be fine."_

_"Um..."_

_Hikaru didn't give him the chance to finish. She immediately grinned brightly and changed the subject. "So, how is your project with Kaiba-kun coming along?"_

_Yuugi sighed heavily, but decided to let it go for now. It was clear that she really didn't want to talk about her lost son, or whatever else that might be bothering her. He really wanted to know, to help, but he wouldn't push her until she was ready._

_"We're almost finished..." _

"Are you finished yet?"

Yuugi blinked, shook his head, and glanced down at his sheet. How many times had he done that in the last hour? He'd lost count.

"Um... eight left." He smiled weakly and coughed again.

Kaiba huffed and was about to say his piece when the bell rang. Their fellow students began packing up and putting their models away safely in the back closet, but he continued to glare his partner.

"Sorry, Kaiba. I'll finish them tonight, I promise." Yuugi stood and starting collecting his own books, thoughts straying again.

Seto rubbed his temple in frustration, and followed suit. "Fine. Whatever." He picked up their machine and returned it to the closet. He wasn't surprised to see Yuugi politely waiting for him as he always did, but his scowl melted when he saw the look on his face.

"Yuugi?"

When he'd stood to leave, the young duelist felt a wave of dizziness overtake him, and clutched the edge of the desk to steady himself. It didn't help in the slightest. The tiniest movement made the world seemed to spin faster. He swayed a bit and looked up gradually when he heard Kaiba call his name. Bad idea. Everything began to blur and he lost his balance.

"Yuugi!" Seto rushed forward and caught his young friend before he hit the floor. He kneeled on the ground and very gently laid the unconscious boy on his back.

Kanade-sensei ran over, having heard the commotion. She quickly checked Yuugi's pulse and was relieved to find it normal. Still...

"We need to get him to the infirmary."

"I'll take him," Seto volunteered. He scooped the light bundle up in his arms and sprinted out the door, yelling at other students and teachers alike to get out of his way.

Kanade-sensei immediately went to the phone and dialed the nurse's office. "Yasha-san? It's Mutou-kun... something's wrong..." (2)

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Short chapter and a cliffhanger! No love for you guys today! Mwa ha ha ha ha!!! But if you leave lots of reviews, I might be persuaded to post the next chapter sooner!

(1) It's kind of hard to explain what a Rube Goldberg machine is, so unless you **_really_** want to know, I'm not going to get into it. It's not that important to the story anyway.

(2) Ashura-o (from the opening quote) and Yasha-o are characters in CLAMP's manga Tsubasa.

StandAlone


	12. Moving Forward

Welcome to Chapter 12! Hope you all like it!

**Atemu Yugi Lover34:** Just what is Hikaru up? Keep tuning in to find out:P

Disclaimer: Don't own.

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_"I can't do much yet, but even if I can do a little to help... I want to give it all I have! If a person doesn't do anything, they never get any better. Doing one little thing, taking one little step forward... I gotta believe it will help build a better future!"_ – Princess Sakura, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _Volume Four_

**Moving Forward**

"Would you calm down, already? I'm sure it's nothing you need to get so worked up over." Kaiba directed his comment to the impatient pharaoh sitting a few feet away, tapping his foot incessantly.

Atemu only managed a warning glare that was quickly returned. Neither said anything more for a while as they continued to wait.

Patience, Yami decided, was something he had never excelled at. Kings never had to wait, they got anything they wanted whenever they wanted it, and thus it was not a virtue he'd bothered to nurture three thousand years ago. But now, in this era, he was constantly forced to work on his restraint. He had thought he was doing pretty well so far, but if his hikari was involved in any way, all his practice went right out the window.

About a half an hour ago, he'd gotten a call from the school saying that Yuugi had collapsed and was taken to the infirmary. The school physician requested that Sugoroku come and take him home, but he'd left earlier in the morning to pick up some supplies and deal with a mishap regarding the store's financial account. So after explaining to the doctor that he was a close friend that lived with the Mutou's, Atemu left a quick note and rushed over in record time. He had yet to obtain a driver's license (Sugoroku had signed him up for lessons in the spring), so he sprinted the entire distance, never once stopping to rest.

He arrived in fifteen minutes, out of breath and in serious need of some water, and demanded to be taken to his light. In the process of trying to find the office, he'd almost sent several students and faculty members alike to an untimely end in his fury. Those poor souls were extremely lucky that Anzu came along and pointed him in the proper direction.

And once they got there, a Doctor Yasha ordered him to take a seat and wait while he treated another teen that had twisted her ankle during a basketball game. Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda wanted to stay with him, but the over stressed doctor refused to allow them to crowd the area and skip class. The only other person he suffered to linger was Kaiba, who'd carried Yuugi there and would not be swayed to leave.

So that left the former ruler and his ex-high priest to control their tempers, and prevent themselves from killing an innocent bystander or, more likely, one another.

"I thought I told you to stop worrying! That tapping is really starting to irritate me."

"Then why don't you just leave? I'm sure you have more important matters to attend to anyway," Atemu snapped angrily.

Surprisingly, Kaiba merely snorted in response and looked away pointedly. From his standing position a few feet away, he crossed his arms and resumed leaning against the wall.

Honestly, Atemu had no idea why Seto was still even here. If he was in fact concerned for Yuugi's well being, then surely he must realize that no one would take better care of him than his other half. _'Probably just has nothing better to do,'_ he thought. He regarded the Kaiba Corp president with a critical eye.

While Seto Kaiba was most definitely a reincarnated form of High Priest Seth, the pharaoh easily noticed many clear distinctions between the two. Coming from a different nationality would naturally give the teenage CEO a lighter complexion, but his almost pasty white skin was a clear indication that he spent far more time indoors that Seth ever did. Kaiba was also lucky enough to live in a time of peace, and the advancement of technology (much of which he had a major hand in) left little reason or time to work out on a regular basis. He was by no means unfit, but his ancient counterpart was more than often required to do battle, which meant he had to train to stay in fighting shape. So while one version was well built, the other was more lanky. Really, with a school uniform that just a few centimeters too short on the limbs and his obsession with games and computers, Kaiba was actually quite a geek.

Atemu chuckled at this sudden revelation, earning him a sharp glare and confused frown from his companion.

In spite of that, there was no mistaking the similarities as well. Both had grown up orphans, their father figures present only physically at best. Such an upbringing resulted in fiercely independent spirits and an extreme value of self reliance. It was demonstrated many times through their nearly identical battle strategies, which stressed raw power, strength, and aggression rather than teamwork and unity.

Another thing they had in common was their "secret" agendas. Both had a strong front, often getting involved in or initiating activities which would be considered either questionable or even downright wrong. But when it came down to it, they were working towards the greater good, building a better future; they were just misguided in how they went about it. And whatever they did, they didn't tolerate anyone getting in their way.

At the end of the day, both Seto and Seth were, and always would be, loners... content to pave their own path in the world and had little use or desire for companionship in any form.

So the question remained, why was he still waiting around?

Yuugi tried explaining it to him once before, the reason why Kaiba considered him both friend and rival. What was it he said?

_"You know how he is. If he falls down and gets dragged away, he'll go kicking and screaming before he'll ask for aid. All his life, no one's ever even **offered** to help, to be there. But now **I** am. He knows that I'll always be here to help him back up. I'm here to lend a hand if he needs it. All he has to do is take it. He probably never will, but I think for him it's enough that its there. That's all that matters."_

Atemu frowned, worry creasing his brows as he began tapping his foot impatiently again. Yuugi... his kind, loving, innocent hikari. What was happening to him? Was he getting sick? Or worse? As soon as the school called, Ryou's warning a few days ago replayed in his mind, reminding him that something out of the ordinary was most certainly going on. But the answers he sought were shrouded in darkness, beyond his reach. How was he supposed to help if he didn't know anything?

For probably the millionth time in the few minutes he'd been there, Yami sat up and strained to see through one of the curtains that separated the far end of the room into secluded little alcoves, much like an actual hospital. He knew Yuugi was behind one of them, but there seemed to be quite a few students that were sick or injured that day, so all of the cots were currently in use, the curtains drawn to give them some privacy while they rested. Frustrated that he still couldn't guess where his sleeping love lay, he leaned back and crossed his arms in a huff.

Atemu occupied himself by surveying the room more thoroughly, since he was in too much of a hurry to before. The school infirmary was about the size of two very large classrooms; one half contained beds (hidden by the curtains) and an examination table while the other had a few chairs against one wall and Dr. Yasha's desk against the other. Cupboards and storage closets lined both sides of the room, each cabinet neatly labeled with its contents... everything from sutures and splints to antiseptics and aspirin. He had to admit that this small medical wing wasn't bad, considering it was in a high school.

"Are you Atemu?"

He and Kaiba both perked up at the voice and turned to see the physician emerge from behind one of the alcoves. The overly ambitious freshman girl that had sprained her ankle could be seen hobbling over to a cot to wait for her own ride to retrieve her.

Atemu stood and bowed politely, doing his best not to immediately interrogate the poor man to death. "Yes."

Dr. Yasha's dark eyes widened slightly, obviously noting the physical likenesses this new young man shared with Yuugi. However, he put aside any comments he might have had and smiled gently. "I apologize for making you wait. The school seems to be suffering from a curse today, or something." He chuckled lightly, nodding at the girl he'd just finished treating.

Atemu cracked a small smile, though the kindly physician probably had no idea how close to home his comment hit.

The fact was, the ancient spirit had previously met Yasha, though the latter hadn't realized it. It was actually only a few days after Yuugi had solved the Millennium Puzzle. He remembered that his little light was in here almost daily, in need of treatment from the various injuries he'd received from the school's bullies and thugs. Sugoroku had jokingly told him that their home phone number was probably on the doctor's speed dial, right after all the local emergency numbers. In any case, Yami distinctly remembered watching quietly from the depths of his partner's soul, ever aware of their environment and the potential threats its inhabitants posed towards his vessel. He appreciated how respectful and caring Yasha had been every time he dealt with the boy, and he expected no less at the present moment.

"Over here, please." The doctor walked over to the far right corner and drew back the curtains enough for the three of them to enter the small space.

There he was, Atemu's precious soul mate, lying silently on a cot, a single white sheet over him. The pharaoh restrained himself from rushing over and pulling the sleeping bundle in his arms, and instead calmly strode towards him and sat in the chair beside the bed.

His apprehension only increased as he observed his other self. He was so, so pale, and sleeping like the dead. The gentle rise and fall of his chest was barely noticeable; Atemu was only aware of it because he'd laid one hand over his heart and the other on his forehead. He was really burning up.

"Kaiba-kun informed me earlier that he'd been coughing quite a bit and mentioned getting caught in the storm a few days ago. Is that correct?"

Atemu nodded and turned to face the man. "Yes, but he was only out for a few moments. I've seen him with a cold before, and it was never like this."

"I see. Still, I must agree at the moment that it is little more than that. However, I believe that the symptoms he's experiencing are worse due to malnourishment. Atemu-kun, may I ask you a few questions?"

He agreed; he'd do anything to help his beloved.

"Have you noticed a variation in Yuugi's routine or attitude lately? Has he been depressed, or isolating himself from others?"

Atemu shook his head. "No, not particularly."

"Has he complained about his body or personal self-image?"

"No more than usual."

"A change in his eating habits?"

He paused a moment, recalling a previous thought he'd had a while back. "He hasn't been eating as much lately. He's not... starving himself, but he used to eat a lot more. In a way, he almost... hesitates before he takes a bite of anything."

Dr. Yasha nodded in understanding. "I see." He sighed as he looked down at the unconscious boy. "Well, since I'm only the part time school doctor and Yuugi is not my patient, I cannot make a proper diagnosis, nor do I have the authority to run any tests. I can, however, give him some over- the-counter medicine that may help reduce the fever when he wakes up. My recommendation is that one of you schedule an appointment with his primary physician for a check-up. He or she will be more suited to help, as they can do a full blood work-up and have complete access to his medical history."

Atemu nodded in understanding. "Very well. We'll take care of it as soon as we get home. Thank you, Yasha-sama."

The man smiled. "Of course. I have some other students and business to attend to, so I'll be in and out of the office for a while. If he wakes up, or there is any change, please inform me or another staff member who can call me immediately. You may stay with him until he regains consciousness." With that, he moved to leave, closing the curtains as he went to give them some privacy.

"Thanks again," Yami called after him.

Kaiba pushed himself up from his leaning position against the wall. "Well, I believe I've filled my good deed quota for the year, so I'll be going too."

Atemu wanted to reply with a smart-ass retort, but his concern for Yuugi outweighed his sarcasm for the time being, so he just threw him a glare in response.

Seto cracked the curtain open enough for him exit, but paused and glanced back at Yuugi. The one-time pharaoh could swear he saw a flash of anxiety flit across his features, but it was replaced by his usual mask of indifference in the blink of an eye. With a small wave of his hand, the proud duelist left the infirmary and continued on his own way.

_"Because you know, if something happens to Yuugi, you won't be the only one affected by it."_

Ryou's words echoed in his mind as Atemu sighed and returned his attention back to his ailing partner. He didn't really care much how anyone else felt at the moment though.

He inched his chair closer to the bedside and tenderly took one of the other's hands in his own. He gave it an encouraging squeeze, then moved it to gently brush his lips over the knuckles.

"Yuugi, my love, what's happening to you? I'm supposed to protect you, take care of you. How am I going to do that now? How do I fight an enemy I can't see or hear or touch?"

He said no more for a long while, choosing instead to simply watch his little one, never once letting go of his hand. He'd occasionally reach over and caress Yuugi's pale face, brushing away his golden bangs and tracing the contours of his adorable rounded jaw. It wasn't until he began to stir at last that he realized how heavy his heart felt, hanging like a dead weight in his chest. But it fluttered to life with hope as the younger's eyes slowly blinked open.

"Yuugi?" Atemu moved as close as possible and exhaled in relief when those beautiful amethyst orbs finally locked with his own.

"Atemu? Where am I? What happened?" To the yami's disappointment, his hikari pulled his hand away in order to prop himself up on his elbows.

"You collapsed in class. Kaiba brought you to the infirmary, and Yasha-sama called us. Grandpa was gone on some errands, so I came."

"Oh." Yuugi blushed in embarrassment as he shifted to sit up properly. He smiled gratefully when Atemu leaned over and moved the pillow to support his back.

"So..."

"Yasha-sama said it was probably just a cold, but you're worse off because you're not eating properly." He gave the other a reprimanding look that demanded an explanation.

"Oh. I see." Yuugi looked down at his hands nervously.

Atemu scowled. "Is there something going on I should know about? You're all skin and bones. Why aren't you eating right?"

"I am! Just not as much!" he replied defensively. He let out an aggravated sigh. He didn't want to start another fight with Yami, so he decided to just be honest. "I'm sorry. I'm not doing it on purpose it's just..."

"Just what?"

Yuugi frowned thoughtfully. "It's just that every time I eat something, I feel nauseous, like I'm just gonna throw up everything."

"Oh." Although this wasn't exactly good news, Atemu was actually quite comforted by this revelation. It at least meant that Yuugi wasn't intentionally trying to harm himself. "If that's the case, then hopefully the doctor will be able to give you some medicine for that. Yasha-sama suggested we make an appointment for you as soon as possible. You're not putting this off anymore, understand?"

Yuugi grinned sheepishly. Everyone knew that he always hated check-ups. Even though his doctor was really nice, he was just really uncomfortable with it all. Especially if needles were involved. "Alright."

Atemu smiled. "Good. You wait here and relax. Yasha-sama wanted to check you out before I take you home."

"Okay." He could still make it to his last class if he left now, but he knew neither his other soul nor the school physician would go for it, so he didn't bother to argue. Besides, it meant going home and spending more time with his crush. Yuugi leaned back and blushed happily again. Being sick wasn't such a bad thing after all.

* * *

"Really Atemu, you can put me down now." 

The young man shook his head with a smirk. "No can do, aibou. You need to take it easy. We can't have you passing out again."

Yuugi rolled his eyes, but stopped protesting. On their way home, he'd gotten dizzy again and tripped in the middle of the street. He didn't faint though, and barely sustained a few small bruises on his arms and legs, but his overprotective yami suddenly decided that he wasn't fit to walk anymore. After they'd gotten him out of harm's way, Atemu picked him up, backpack and all and started carrying him piggy-back. They'd gotten some strange looks from bystanders, but the dignified king paid it no mind. Yuugi was a little embarrassed, but it was a good excuse as any to wrap his arms around his secret love's neck.

"Are you sure I'm not too heavy?" he asked worriedly. He didn't want Atemu to hurt himself.

"Of course not. I told you, you're never a burden to me." He turned his head to look over his shoulder and smiled.

Yuugi's cheeks were dusted pink at the tenderness shining in his crimson eyes. He gulped softly and hid his face in Atemu's neck. "If you say so," he mumbled against his shoulder.

His other half nodded. "You should lie down once we get home and I'll make you some soup. That should be easy on your stomach."

Yuugi was about to agree when he remembered something. "Oh, wait! I'm supposed to meet Hikaru-san after school! I don't want her waiting for me all night."

Yami shrugged. "So just call her and explain you're not feeling well. I'm sure she'll understand. It's getting colder and you shouldn't go out until you get better."

"But I don't have her phone number."

His dark raised his eyebrows in confusion. "You don't? You've been meeting her for weeks. How can you not have her phone number?"

The small light shook his head. "It's never come up. We just always meet in the park."

Atemu rolled his eyes in annoyance of the situation. "Oh well. She'll figure out you're not coming after a little while and head home."

Yuugi gasped and slapped him on the shoulder. "Atemu! I couldn't possibly do that to Hikaru-san! It's rude to stand someone up like that."

"Can't be helped. You need to stay warm and get some rest. You'll only get worse if you keep going out in the cold."

"You worry too much, Atemu." He sighed wistfully. "Everything will be fine. You'll see. I'll do everything I can to make sure of it."

It sounded like Yuugi might have been talking about something else entirely, but Yami decided not to question it for now.

"Of course everything will be fine, because you'll be taking it easy for a while. Now when we get home, make sure you change into some warmer clothes. That thin school uniform doesn't help much."

The younger duelist knew that when the pharaoh made up his mind about something, it was never easy to change it. But he wasn't about to go down without a fight.

Since they weren't facing each other, he wouldn't be able to unleash his "dreaded" puppy-dog eyes, but another idea that could possibly be even more effective occurred to him. Yuugi hid his mischievous smirk and tightened his hold around Atemu's shoulders. He started nuzzling his face in the crook of his neck.

"Yami... please let me go see Hikaru? I promise I won't be gone long." He leaned over to whisper directly in his ear. "And when I get back, maybe we can watch that old mummy movie you taped a while back. We were supposed to watch it when I got home from school, but I had too much homework. Remember?" He grinned at the shivers his actions produced and continued. "Please can I go?"

Atemu felt his own face growing hot at the feeling of Yuugi's warm breath tickling his ear, and his arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. It was all he could do not to drop the poor boy when his knees began to buckle.

Yuugi knew his was winning this little game when his other self tripped slightly. He was quick to regain his balance, however, and continued on without replying. But the younger wasn't about to give up that easily.

"Atemu, if that movie's too scary, would you mind if we snuggled? Just until the creepy parts are over?"

His face went even redder. "Yuugi..."

"Please? Pretty please with sugar on top?" He smirked when the elder sighed in exasperation and turned his head to look at him.

"I don't suppose I can win against the King of Games, huh?"

Yuugi laughed and shook his head. "Nope."

Atemu rolled his eyes, but finally gave in. "Alright, alright. You can go see Hikaru. But only for a half an hour, do you hear me?" His tone left no room for argument.

His beloved hikari hugged him tightly in appreciation. "Thanks Yami! I promise I'll be back quickly. Then we can watch the movie."

He smiled, despite his concern, that he'd made Yuugi happy. "Just don't forget your promise."

"I won't."

* * *

"Oh, Yuugi-kun, you shouldn't be here if you're not feeling well. Your friends were very worried for you, and you need to take care of yourself. You didn't have to come." 

He waved away her distress. "I didn't want you to wait around for me. But I did promise Atemu I wouldn't be gone long. I just wanted you to know that I might not be able to visit as often until I get over this cold."

Hikaru nodded in agreement. "I understand. And I very much appreciate you going through so much trouble to tell me."

Yuugi smiled and moved to say more, but suddenly began to sway a little. He leaned against a nearby tree. "I'm sorry. I'm feeling kinda dizzy again." He held a hand to his head in an effort to calm the spinning.

Hikaru said nothing. She simply watched him, eyes darkened with sorrow and shame.

* * *

There you have it! 

Just a quick note: if any of you are following this story but chose not to receive e-mail notices for updates, I'll be re-listing it using the character categories of **_Yami_** and Yuugi, whereas right now I have it listed under **_Atem_** and Yuugi... beginning from the next chapter on (even though there aren't many left). I keep switching between the two names for the pharaoh so it doesn't really matter which I list it under. It's all just a diabolical plot to get more reviews! Mwa ha ha ha ha!

Either way, please review!

StandAlone


	13. The Shape of Happiness

Here's chapter 13!

To **Cactus Bob** and **Atemu Yugi Lover 34**: Is Hikaru evil? Or is she just misunderstood? laughs evilly More clues in this installment!!

Disclaimer: Don't own.

* * *

_"Because... happiness depends on the individual. All people are different. No two are the same. What makes one person happy... might make another sad. People's souls come in all shapes and sizes. And as time goes on and a person grows, their soul can change. Their hopes and dreams can change. That's why... there isn't just one type of happiness."_ – Chobits, _Volume Three_

**The Shape of Happiness**

Much to everyone's dismay, two days went by and Yuugi showed no signs of getting better. His fever didn't get any worse, but his coughing fits and dizzy spells were becoming more frequent. He did, however, keep his promise to the ex-pharaoh and stayed in bed (after several threats of being tied down to it). He really didn't mind too much though, since he and Yami were able to pass the time by playing various games and watching movies. To his delight, Atemu was almost _constantly_ cuddling him, simply stating that they had to keep him warm if he was going to get better. It made him feel _so_ warm; Yuugi thought it was a miracle he hadn't melted yet.

But after those two days, the young duelist decided that he should go back to school so he didn't fall behind. Both Atemu and Sugoroku protested vehemently, but Yuugi would not be swayed, insisting that he was more than capable of making his own decisions and looking out for himself. Eventually, they agreed on a compromise. He'd only attend his first two classes, as they were the most challenging, and simply collect his homework from the others.

Fate seemed to be against them, however. The elder Mutou's felt that he shouldn't walk to school but Grandpa's car was in the shop at the moment. Since he couldn't drive him, Atemu eagerly agreed to walk him there. Yuugi didn't put up a fight over that.

Yami threw another concerned glance at his hikari as he began coughing violently again. As much as he had enjoyed the alone time with his little love, he hated that he was sick. Bullies, stalkers, and crazed fans were no problem at all but illness was not something he could guard or protect him from. It made him feel so helpless and he hated that.

"Doing alright, aibou?" he asked before he could stop himself. He shrugged when Yuugi glared at him; he'd asked him that every time he had a fit and it was starting to annoy him. "Sorry. Force of habit."

"It's alright." Yuugi stopping walking a moment and leaned against a nearby light post, still coughing.

Atemu put his hands on his shoulders to help steady him, concern dominating his handsome features. "Yuugi, I really don't think you should be going to school. Come on, I'll carry you home. You can always ask one of our friends to get your homework for you." He made a move to pick up his crush bridal style, but Yuugi swatted his hands away.

"No. I'll be fine. I want to go. Besides, I've been through a lot worse than this."

His other frowned but released his hold on him. Honestly, he really wasn't sure why Yuugi insisted on being so self reliant. _He_ had always been the one who said there was no shame accepting help from others if you need it, and that it was necessary to look after yourself sometimes. Still, he decided not to press his luck for fear of truly upsetting him.

They walked on as soon as Yuugi composed himself. They were quiet for a while until Atemu accidentally spoke his thoughts aloud.

"I still can't believe the doctor won't see you until next week."

"Hmm?"

He glanced at Yuugi briefly, and then continued. "I just don't understand why he wouldn't cancel or move a few appointments to get you in."

Yuugi shook his head. "It's not a big deal, Atemu. So he's all booked up. I can hold out until then." He chuckled a bit. "Besides, the world doesn't revolve around me, you know."

"Mine does." Again, Yami didn't realize he'd spoken out loud.

The younger blushed at his words, but said nothing in response. Then he too reacted without thinking. He reached out and took hold of Atemu's hand. "Yami, thanks for looking out for me."

Atemu blinked in surprise and looked down at their clasped hands.

Yuugi caught the look and gasped quietly, turning bright red in embarrassment. He immediately tried to let go, but found that his hand was held tight. His blush deepened when he looked at his darker half questioningly.

Atemu met his gaze a moment and offered a warm smile before facing forward again. He loosened his grip just enough so he could lace their fingers together. From the corners of his eyes, he saw his love smile shyly and stare at the ground. He was pleased that he made no further move to pull away. They said no more then, but rather fell into a comfortable silence, allowing only bits and pieces of love and devotion to flow through the mind link and speak for them.

Their time was short lived though as they finally reached the school gate. When they stopped, Atemu turned to face Yuugi but did not release his hand.

"Are you _sure_ you'll be alright?" he asked.

Yuugi sighed heavily. "For the last time, yes! And before you ask, yes, I promise I'll call if I don't think I'll make it."

Yami looked at his watch. "So, you should by done around ten-thirty or so, correct? Do you want me to come and walk home with you?" He was shocked to see his light suddenly look rather guilty about something.

"No, no! I'm sure I'll be fine," he said quickly, waving his free hand.

Atemu knew he was hiding something. "Yuugi..." he warned.

He moved his hand behind his head. "I'm uh... just gonna stop by the park on my way home. Ya know, just to see if Hikaru-san's there. I won't stay long, I promise!" He initiated a preemptive strike against the protest he knew was coming by widening his eyes and mildly sticking out his lower lip.

Atemu immediately tried to look away from Yuugi's "puppy pout", but it was just too darn cute to resist. He groaned and rolled his eyes. Now he knew the _real_ reason he wanted to come to school so bad. It was just an excuse to see that woman. Although he knew very well there was nothing inappropriate going on between them, it didn't stop the jealous twinge in his heart.

Without releasing Yuugi's hand, he looped his other arm around his waist, pulling him close. He inhaled deeply, breathing in his scent and exhaled with a sigh. "I guess I won't be able to talk you out of it anyway, huh?"

Yuugi's mind was already turning to mush, so he only managed a small nod, resulting in a wide smirk on Atemu's face.

"Just be careful, aibou. And come home if it gets to be too much." He closed his eyes, resting his head on Yuugi's. "You're everything to me. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."

The hikari swallowed the lump in his throat, but slowly relaxed in his embrace. He hid his face in the crook of Atemu's tanned neck, breath fanning over the warm skin. He couldn't think of anything to say in response, his mind quite far gone for the most part. So instead he let his actions do the talking for him; his own arm worming its way under his yami's to return the hug.

They stayed that way for quite a while, ignoring the passing glances other students gave them as they headed in the building. Many had seen Atemu on the school grounds before with Yuugi and his friends, so it wasn't a rare site. The young Egyptian cracked open one eye and glared at the group of girls giggling and sighing as they pointed at the pair. They immediately took the hint and went on their way, leaving the couple in peace.

A warning bell sounded, signaling the students to hurry on. Atemu reluctantly pulled back. He let go of Yuugi's hand and waist and instead clasped his little one's beautiful face. He smiled and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

This resulted in a few catcalls from the last students rushing in the building, which unfortunately awoke Yuugi from his trance. He smiled at his dark happily, refusing to acknowledge the teasing shouts around him. Then he gave his yami one last hug before finally stepping back and walking away, waving as he went.

As soon as he was out of site, Atemu frowned worriedly.

* * *

"And then... Atemu kissed me on the forehead." 

Hikaru grinned at him. "How wonderful for you. Sounds like you're getting on just fine."

Yuugi smiled back, but leaned away and covered his face, once more coughing. "Sorry..." he mumbled between coughs.

"Oh, Yuugi-kun! You're still sick! You should be home resting."

He shook his head. "I'm fine, really. I just wanted to stop and see you for a little while." He stilled as a cool hand rested on his forehead.

Hikaru touched her own head with her other hand. "Oh my! You have a terrible fever. You really shouldn't be out in this chilly weather, Yuugi-kun!"

He stared at her as though she'd just grown an extra head.

She let go and gasped. "Oh. I'm sorry. Force of habit."

Yuugi smiled, having already heard those words before. "It's okay." He sighed softly. "Ya know, Grandpa and Atemu have been doing that a lot lately. But when you did it... it... made me remember."

He closed his eyes, envisioning his parents. He could swear their hands were tenderly caressing his head and face even now. "A long time ago, I had a fever, and both my mother and father would put their hands on my head to see how bad it was."

Hikaru's face fell with compassion.

"Oh, but everything will be alright. Atemu and Grandpa are looking after me. And I can take care of myself..."

He stopped when Hikaru leaned forward, wrapping him in her arms.

"I know you can. But it's not the same as having your parents there for you, is it?"

Yuugi smiled and relaxed in her hug. He was a little disappointed when she pulled away hurriedly. She did, however, rest one hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Yuugi-kun, but you should go home now."

He shook his head fervently. "No! I'm alright! I can stay a little longer..." He swayed from the onset of a dizzy spell and coughed some more.

Hikaru lightly touched the side of his face, guiding his eyes to meet her gaze. "Yuugi... please. Go home." Her eyes were brimming with sorrow and anxiety.

Yuugi's narrowed sadly and he looked away. "Alright..."

He didn't see Hikaru smile in relief and contentment.

* * *

It was short, I know. 

So I'm thinking there'll be about five more chapters or so. If you like my writing and would like to see more, please go into my profile. I've listed the ideas I have for future stories, but I can't decide which one to do next (not including the story I'm writing for my trivia contest winner). So if any one of them strikes your interest, I'd appreciate your suggestions.

Please review!!

StandAlone


	14. Death's Call

Say hello to Chapter 14! Now things are really heating up!!

Yay... new reviewers!! To **Serzie**, **Mystik Genie**, **tavia454**, and **YGO-girl-teen**: thank you for your kind reviews! I'm glad you like it. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!!

**Kyo lover with little sanity**: In Pursuit of Love is definitely my next project. I haven't forgotten!! LOL But it'll only take me a week or so at most to write it, so I wanted to know what people would like to see after that. I'm thinking this story will have about four more chapters or so, and then I'll have your winning fic up and ready. :P

**Cactus Bob**: As always, thank you for your input. Those who've voted have all been leaning towards the untitled one, so I'm thinking that'll be next (after the contest fic of course). I'll warn you now though, that that one will be a really long story. I'm thinking upwards of thirty chapters or so. But it'll be worth it. I hope. :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh!, the borrowed story from xxxHolic, or any of the quotes I referenced.

* * *

_"I won't die. I still have something to see through. I can't die yet."_ – Syaoran, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _Volume Two_

**Death's Call**

"And now I activate _Swords of Revealing Light_. That's all for now." Atemu did his best to remain calm as he waited for Yuugi's coughing fit to recede. They were trying to have a friendly duel to pass the time, but his aibou's ever worsening condition had prolonged the game quite longer than they intended. In spite of that, the younger champion refused to back down.

When Yuugi smirked, Yami knew he was in trouble. "Nice move. Or at least, it would have been if I hadn't played this." He flipped up one of his face down cards. "_Magic Barrier_. I used it with my Silent Swordsman, now level 5, which means he's immune to your swords' effects. And without any monsters on the field to protect you, I get a clear shot."

A low growl escaped Atemu's lips. Yes, he'd lost before, but that didn't necessarily mean he liked it very much. That attack cut his life points down to a pathetic sliver of 100.

"And with that, I end my turn." He choked a bit as he spoke and covered his face to cough again.

Concern easily outweighed the pharaoh's predatory gaming instinct. His crimson orbs softened. "Yuugi, we can finish this game later. I think you should go upstairs and lie down for a while."

The hikari grinned again. "You're only saying that because you're losing," he whispered between coughs. He paused and managed a quick drink of water to re-hydrate his raw throat.

Atemu shook his head. "No." He rolled his eyes at the look his partner gave him and confessed. "Okay, yes. But I care more about _you_ than a silly game."

Yuugi shrugged. "We're almost done. I'll beat you when your spell card wears off anyway, so let's just finish." The playful glint in his eyes dared his other to continue.

But for once, he would not be swayed. He set down his cards and laid a hand over his deck. "In that case, I'll just forfeit now."

Yuugi looked scandalized. "Hey! That's not fair!"

Atemu chuckled as he pouted, but didn't relent. He gathered his cards and reshuffled them into his deck. "Game's over. We'll settle this when you're well again."

The young champion sighed, but began gathering his own cards. "Fine. But I can't sleep _now_. I'm too wide awake. I'll take a nap after I visit Hikaru-san."

His dark glared at the floor, clearly unhappy. Though Yuugi had been getting even worse over the past few days and now stayed home from school, he still trekked out to the park to visit his friend. Every day, they had a small argument over the matter, but nothing Atemu could say would stop him from going. His only consolation was that he was never gone long, a half an hour at most. Apparently, Hikaru was just as upset as him about it, and would send the little one home fairly quickly. For that, he was grateful. It meant she had some sense and really did care for his aibou's well being. Still, he did everything he could to try and get him to rest.

"Yuugi, I'll only let you go if you drink _all_ of that tea I'm making." He smirked at the grimace on his face. When all the other medicines they gave him did little or nothing to help, Grandpa suggested they try this herbal tea he'd invented. It seemed to do the trick for a little while, but had a horrible taste. Atemu practically had to force-feed Yuugi through a tube to get him to drink it.

Yuugi gagged a bit at the thought of swallowing that nasty stuff, but decided it was a good idea not to argue. "Fine."

Atemu smiled appreciatively, then looked in the direction of the kitchen in response to high pitched whistle. "Hot water's done. I'll be right back."

It didn't take him long to mix up Sugoroku's herbal remedy. Even he had to flinch at the terrible smell of it, but luckily he wasn't the one who had to drink it. An almost evil smirk touched his lips as he stirred the steaming liquid. So maybe he did feel a little sorry that Yuugi had to drink the awful stuff, but the faces he made were just so adorable that he got over the guilt pretty quick.

Careful not to spill the tea, he returned to the living room, sat next to his aibou on the couch, and set his medicine on the table. "Here we are. It's a little hot yet, so be careful. Although it might be easier to just gulp it all at once. It might not taste as bad that way." His smile faded at the thoughtful look on Yuugi's face.

He was holding a manga book that Anzu had brought him yesterday. Their friends stopped by on and off to bring his homework and check in on his condition. And although he didn't really like the girl's massive collection of shojo manga, she brought some anyway. So when he didn't have anything else to do, he actually picked up a few and skimmed through them. But he looked like he was actually reading it this time. And for some reason, it made him sad.

"Something wrong, Aibou?"

Yuugi blinked to wake himself and glanced over at his dark. "Huh? Nah, nothing's wrong," he said with a smile. "Just thinking."

"About what?" Atemu asked.

He shrugged. "Just random stuff. Nothing important."

Atemu smirked and inched a little closer to his love. "Like what?"

Whatever he'd been thinking about must have distracted him quite a bit, because for once, he didn't blush at Yami's bold actions. He picked up the book he'd set on his lap and turned to the page he was reading before his other came in. "I was just thinking about this one part in this manga... _'The world seemed like some role playing game come to life. But things weren't simply "good" or "evil" like in an RPG. We followed our hearts... and that brought tragedy. I can't play RPG's or video games anymore. It feels too real, like the enemy in the game is my actual enemy. And even though I'm the **hero**, the bad guy sees me as a **villain**.'_" (1) He stopped and set the book down again. "I guess, it just got me thinking about all the people we fought on our journey together."

He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "Ya know, so many of our enemies didn't have to be. They were just doing what they thought was right. And to them, _we_ were the enemy. Like Pegasus. Okay, yeah, he was pretty crazy, but he was just so broken up over his girlfriend's death. And Raphael had a hard life and Dartz exploited it for his own gain. And then there was the Thief King Bakura."

Atemu growled at the name.

Yuugi giggled, but went on. "Alright. He was completely insane, and destroyed a lot of innocent lives. But he watched his home town get slaughtered and burned to the ground, and as far as he knew, you were responsible." He stopped and coughed a moment. "I guess... I was just thinking how nothing's ever as easy and straight forward as it seems. No matter how much we wish it was." He closed his eyes and smiled wistfully. "I wish... we never had to fight."

Atemu stared at Yuugi for a moment. Then he reached over and pulled him close, nuzzling his neck. "Aibou, you are so amazing."

This time, he did blush that bright tomato red. His mind started melting at his yami's warmth. Nonetheless, he snuggled deeper in his embrace and grinned. Too bad his coughing managed to ruin the moment.

Atemu pulled away and picked up the tea. He handed it to Yuugi with a chiding wink and grin.

His glared at his other self ruefully, but accepted the cup and gulped it down anyway. "Ack. I hate this stuff."

The former pharaoh chuckled. "I know; I know." He said no more, quite content to just sit here and cuddle his loveable light.

Fate had no love for the two soul partners though. Atemu groaned as the phone rang incessantly. He reluctantly released him and headed back into the kitchen to answer it.

Yuugi pulled a blanket over his shoulders and hugged himself happily. _'Pretty soon,'_ he told himself. He'd finally decided that he was going to tell Atemu just how he felt about him. But he wanted to wait until after he got over this nasty illness. There were certain things he'd like to be able to do if his beloved other self felt the same, and his frequent coughing fits and dizzy spells would make it more than a little difficult. So for now he was content to just enjoy the affection lavished on him and get better.

"Yuugi? Ryou's on the phone. He wants to talk to you."

He perked up immediately. He hadn't heard from the white haired hikari in a long time, and he really missed him. With an unnatural burst of energy for someone in his condition, he jumped off the couch and bounded in the kitchen. He was taken aback at the look on Atemu's face as he held out the phone to him. He looked extremely angry about something, his free hand clenched in a fist. He could almost see long suppressed shadow energy cackling in his aura.

Yuugi raised a confused eyebrow at him, but made no comment at the moment. He simply took the phone and leaned against the wall. "Hi Ryou!"

"Long time, no see, Yuugi!"

He laughed. "Yeah. I feel like it's been forever since you left. When are you coming home?"

"In a few days, as a matter of fact. We're leaving California tomorrow morning. But our flight has a couple of stops and layovers on the way. And the time difference will really throw us off."

"Yeah, I suppose so." He threw a glare over his shoulder at Yami, who was muttering profanities under his breath. Just what was he so upset about? "But it'll be great to finally see you again. We'll have to throw a welcome home party. And you'll have to show us all your pictures."

He could almost hear the shy blush in his tone when he spoke again. "Nah. You really don't have to go through that kind of trouble for me."

"But we want to. We've all missed you."

"Yeah. Me too. But you... I _told_ you to be careful, but of course this is the way it turned out."

Yuugi frowned in uncertainty at the sudden change in tone and direction of the dialogue. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Ryou sighed. "You're not feeling well, are you? You haven't for a while now."

The young duelist felt his mouth fell open a bit in shock. How could he know that? They hadn't mentioned it at all in their previous conversations. "How did you..." He was stopped short and covered his mouth with his free hand as he began coughing again, but this time the attack was much more violent than all the others. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Atemu's previous rage die down to extreme anxiety.

Out of nowhere, it seemed, he was unexpectedly aware of a familiar metallic taste coating his mouth, and his hand became damp when he coughed into it.

He stopped, panting heavily. His amethyst eyes widened in alarm when he saw a small puddle of blood dripping through his fingers and felt it trailing the corners of his lips.

"It's because you're meeting that woman," he heard through the lowered receiver. "She's not what she appears to be. If you keep seeing her..."

Yuugi didn't hear him. He swayed, still staring at his hand. Everything seemed to go in slow motion, as his eyes trailed up and met Atemu's. He dropped the phone, eyes glazing over and fell backwards.

"Yuugi!" Yami rushed over and caught him. The phone dangled from the cord, Ryou's voice still echoing from the receiver.

"Yuugi?! Yuugi!!"

**

* * *

****(A.N. I almost decided to end this chapter there, but I think I'll give ya a little more love today. Be sure to thank me with lots of reviews!!)**

Yuugi opened his eyes slowly, allowing his vision to adjust to the light.

"Where... what happened?" A rustling sound from beside him drew his attention to the pharaoh sitting in the chair by his bedside.

"You passed out. I carried you up to your room."

Yuugi tried to sit up, but Atemu pushed his shoulders firmly to keep him where he was. He didn't push his luck.

"What did Ryou tell you?" he asked nervously. If Atemu knew, then there was no way he'd allow him to go see Hikaru-san. And judging from the look on his face earlier, he probably did.

The furious ex-king frowned and clenched his fists tightly one more. "He said that if you continued to see that woman, you'd be lost forever." He gulped nervously. "I assume he means that you'll be dead."

This time, Yuugi did sit up, waving away Atemu's hands to do so. "That can't be right. She never did anything to me. I never got a bad feeling, or anything."

Yami understood that he was greatly attached to the woman and might not be willing to accept the truth. He'd have to let logic prevail. "Is there anything else going on? You haven't come across anything else strange, have you?"

He thought a moment and shook his head.

His darker self imitated the gesture sympathetically. "Then it seems that Ryou is correct. And it makes sense. You started looking odd just after you met her. And the more you saw of her, the more you got sick. She _must_ be involved."

Yuugi wanted to scream that it was impossible, argue in Hikaru's defense as much as he could, but his sore throat and weakened body wouldn't allow it. Still, her smiling face and tender eyes flashed in his mind. He replayed all their conversations, all the time they shared enjoying one another's company. Her compassion, kindness, and warmth refused acceptance. "But... she isn't a bad person. I know it."

Atemu's eyes narrowed in anger. "We don't even know if she _is_ a person. Whatever she did to you clearly isn't normal. There must be magic or something at work here." He growled at his own stupidity. "I just didn't see or sense it."

Yuugi laid back down and stared at the ceiling. "Even if that's true... I promised her... that I'd meet her in the park. I _promised_."

Atemu said nothing.

His gentle hikari closed his eyes, immediately falling asleep once again.

* * *

_Crisp autumn leaves rustled in a light breeze. Hues of red, orange, and yellow blended together and were set loose from their restraints, falling softly all about the lone figure sitting on a park bench._

_She stared at the ground, watching the evening shadows close in everywhere as she pulled the folds of her old kimono tighter around her. _

_She looked to the left, then to the right, seemingly searching for something. There was nothing coming in either direction. Her head hung low and she closed her eyes sadly._

_The image rippled and faded, like a reflection on the water's surface. It drained, flowing downward and thinning into a single strand of a silver tear..._

Yuugi woke once more, a tiny river trailing from his eye. He glanced beside him and saw that Atemu was not there. He could faintly hear noises and voices coming from downstairs, which meant both he and their grandfather were at home. They were probably discussing his illness, its tie to Hikaru, and what to do about it.

Tears continued to pour forth, his heart wrenching in pain. "She told me she was lonely," he whispered aloud to no one.

He pushed himself up, gripping his head lightly to calm the pounding headache and dizziness.

"I can't... don't want to make her any more lonely than she is."

He threw aside the blankets trapping him and stood slowly, swaying a bit. He looked thoughtfully out his skylight window. There was no way Atemu would let him go see her now, so if he tried to leave through the front door, he'd likely be restrained by his considerably stronger darker half.

"I have to go," he resolved.

His sneakers were downstairs, along with his jacket, and he couldn't likely retrieve them without the others noticing. But he was determined that nothing stop him.

Yuugi reached under his bed and found a pair of sandals, normally reserved for the summer, and settled for a long sleeved button-up to wear over his t-shirt to keep him warm.

Being careful not to make any noise, he stood on his desk and unlocked the window, pushing it aside just enough to crawl out. Once he was out on the roof, he looked down apprehensively. He'd never had an occasion to sneak out before, so he'd never tried to jump down. But really, it wasn't all _that_ high, and there were bushes below. He took a single deep breath, trying not to cough it out in the process, and leapt.

* * *

Yep. That's it. That's the real ending for this edition. What'd ya think? 

That quote was taken from Magic Knight Rayearth 2, also by CLAMP.

Please review!!

StandAlone


	15. Resolve

Wow! Someone finally made a correct guess regarding Hikaru! Read on to find out who!

Thank you **Trikki**, **Serzie**, **Mystik Genie**, and **Cactus Bob** for your reviews!

**Panguins-in-America-Oh-my**: Sorry sweetie, but there's not going to be a sequel. But I promise that the conclusion will pull everything together quite nicely. Just hang on a few more chapters.

I decided to be nice and give you one more chapter for the weekend. But I also decided to be evil and end with a cliffhanger. Mwa ha ha ha ha!!

Disclaimer: Don't own!

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_"I don't care where I'm injured. It makes no difference. When I decide to do something, I do it!"_ – Syaoran, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _Volume Three_

**Resolve**

_'If I don't die, Atemu is **so** going to kill me for this,'_ Yuugi thought wearily as he trudged along. After all, never before had he outright disregarded his friends' warnings and concerns. Never before had he snuck out to do anything he probably shouldn't be. And never before had he put his own desires above another's.

But nothing would stop him tonight. Time was running out, and there was still so very much he wanted to learn. He and Hikaru-san had danced around the truth in all the time they were together, but enough was enough. If Ryou proved correct in his theory, then Yuugi deserved to know the reason for it.

But perhaps he was just fooling himself. Those were the explanations he'd give to his friends when _they_ asked why. His heart was set to something quite different.

_'Just a little further,'_ he told himself. A dizzying migraine pounded his head mercilessly and his throat was terribly sore from coughing so much. And now the fever and the chilly evening air produced a cold sweat that soaked his shirt and froze him to his very core. If that wasn't enough, he'd sprained his ankle when he carelessly jumped off the roof from his skylight window, and was forced to limp the entire way. It was a wonder he hadn't collapsed in the middle of the street yet.

But he wouldn't give up. He wouldn't turn back. Not for anything.

Yuugi stopped and held on tightly to a fence, laughing in relief. It felt like hours since he'd left, but the familiar playground and grove of trees were finally in view. The setting sun cast foreboding shadows around him, and a cold wind swirled all about, rustling his clothes and hair and setting loose the fall leaves stubbornly clinging to their perches.

He continued on, past the swing sets and sandboxes, and around the jungle gym. There, sitting alone on the park bench they'd come to call their own special place, sat Hikaru. The crunching of leaves beneath his feet alerted her to his presence.

Hikaru gasped. "Oh, my dear!"

Yuugi smiled and panted, hurrying over to take his place beside her. "I'm s-sorry... t-that I'm s-so late," he shivered breathlessly. He settled himself comfortably on the bench and looked her over, worry shining in his eyes. "Y-you're not cold, are you?" They'd agreed to meet so much earlier in the day, and yet she was still here waiting for him.

Hikaru said nothing, but instead turned away, ashamed and afraid.

Her young companion suddenly began to wrench and cough, leaning forward and covering his mouth to catch the blood dripping from it.

She sighed, tears brimming at the edges of her eyes as she watched helplessly. "I knew... that it would turn out this way," she whispered sadly. "I knew... that the more you saw me, the worse it would turn out to be for you." She choked and covered her face with her long sleeve, restraining a sob. "It's all my fault!"

Yuugi chuckled lightly. "Yeah. That's what they told me."

She looked over at him in amazement. "Then... why did you come?"

He smiled, staring shyly at the ground. "Because... when you're lonely... then I'm lonely too."

* * *

Atemu carefully climbed up the stairs while carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and some hot tea. Yuugi hadn't come down at all since that afternoon, and he was probably starving. And no doubt he was still upset about what Ryou said regarding Hikaru. 

He shook his head sympathetically. His little hikari had really grown attached to that woman. In some ways, she'd been very good for him. Her influence had brought out a kind of happiness in him he'd never seen before. And the matter of his parent's death might not have come out if he hadn't had her to talk to.

But they'd have to put that behind them now. According the their friend, she was the cause of his illness and would claim his life if allowed. No matter how much it hurt Yuugi, he'd have to end that friendship and cut off all ties with her. As for Yami, he had sworn to protect his light no matter what. And he would eliminate _anyone_ who threatened him without a second thought.

However, he couldn't help but wonder just who, or _what_, that woman was. Certainly no normal human could inflict such a curse. They had to be dealing with someone unique. Good or evil was unclear, but very unique and very powerful nonetheless.

Oh well. It didn't matter now. It was all over.

Atemu balanced the tray between the wall and his hip to free a hand. He knocked on the door a few times.

"Yuugi? You awake?" He paused and waited for an answer. "I've brought you some food and medicine. It'll help you get better."

It was possible he was still asleep, but the former pharaoh thought it more likely that he was sulking. Yuugi was never one to hold a grudge about something, but these were different circumstances. He couldn't be sure what he was thinking and feeling at the moment.

"Yuugi, I'm coming in now, okay?" He didn't wait for a reply. He turned the knob and took hold of the tray again. He backed in slowly, pushing the door open with his shoulder.

"Aibou? I know you're upset, but you need to eat. You won't..." He trailed off, mouth hanging open slightly in shock.

Even though the light was still off, he could see no sign of Yuugi. His blankets were thrown aside, revealing nothing beneath them, and his closet door was slightly ajar.

Atemu closed his mouth and walked over to the desk, setting the tray on top of it. He flicked on the desk lamp and looked around again. Could he be hiding somewhere, too angry or hurt to come out and talk? Or perhaps he'd just gone to the bathroom and they hadn't heard him walking around.

He left the room and headed down the hall. Nope, not in the bathroom. There was no reason for Yuugi to be there, but he checked his own room anyway. Neither minded the other entering their separate rooms, but they spent most of their time in Yuugi's, as it was a little bigger.

Not in there.

He returned to Yuugi's room, and stood in the middle, scratching his head in confusion. Where on earth was he?

Atemu rubbed his arms a bit when a chill swept over him and he shivered. He rolled his eyes. How was Yuugi supposed to get better with the window... open...?

Crimson orbs narrowed thoughtfully as he approached the skylight. The lock latch was undone.

_'He wouldn't,'_ Yami thought. He moved aside the tray and stood on the desk. The window was open just a crack, enough for the wind to blow in and alert him. Pushing it aside, he too climbed out onto the roof and looked down. Below him were the bushes that fenced in the game shop on all sides. But there was one section in disarray; a clear disturbance like something had fallen on it.

Atemu gasped angrily and swore, immediately jumping back in the house. Without closing the window or any doors along the way, he rushed down the stairs, through the living room and out of the house in record speed, muttering profanities the whole way.

* * *

"Yuugi, I..." Hikaru trailed off, unsure of what to say. 

He glanced over at her, kind regard in his eyes. "Hikaru-san, is this... is this what happened to your son? Is this how he died?"

She stared at the ground nervously. Her hands gripped the folds of her shawl, twisting them into odd shapes. Finally, she sighed and closed her eyes. "Yes. Yes it is."

They were silent for a bit, Yuugi waited patiently for answers and coughing mildly while Hikaru collected her thoughts. At last, she opened her eyes and looked up, searching the night sky.

"A long time ago, my father arranged a marriage between myself and a young nobleman from a nearby providence. Even though we were given no choice in the matter, it all worked out for the best. I fell very much in love with my husband, and he felt the same. We had a very happy life." She giggled a bit, much like a young school girl as she reminisced. "A year after our wedding, I got pregnant and gave birth to healthy son. Nothing could have improved as far as we were concerned. We had everything we could possibly want and more. But..."

She stopped and looked down again. "Wars were erupting everywhere... all the time. Usually, it didn't affect us, but eventually the enemy marched on our borders. My husband was an excellent warrior and a proud soldier, and so was called to battle."

Hikaru hugged herself, a single tear escaping her closed lids. "I was devastated when he left. Our son was too young at the time to understand what was happening, but _we_ knew. We knew... that he would never return to us."

Yuugi watched her as she spoke, empathy in his features. In his mind, he envisioned the scenes as she described them. He saw the shadows cast by Hikaru and her husband as they embraced for the final time. He saw a third, much smaller shade bounce around them, demanding attention and explanation. And then he saw hers again, bent over as she wept, her son offering what comfort he could.

"Two years passed, and the happy life we built together faded into nothing but a distant memory. With my husband gone, we had no way to support ourselves. I tried to provide by selling our valuables and taking odd jobs, but it was never enough."

She smiled. "But I found hope in my son. No matter how bad things got, he was always so cheerful and happy. Nothing ever dampened his spirit."

_"Don't cry, Mom. It'll be alright."_

_"Things will get better. You'll see."_

_"Mommy, look at this! I found this flower growing in the dark! See? There's still hope!"_

"He was... everything to me. It was because of him, that I could go on. For his sake."

Yuugi reached over and laid a hand over hers when her shoulders began to shake. With her head bowed low, he couldn't see her face, but there was no doubt she was crying.

"But, even _that_ didn't last. I don't know how or when it happened, but he... started getting sick. Over a couple weeks, he started looking really pale. After that, came the fever. He began passing out, and coughing all the time. I thought maybe it was just a minor cold, but then he started coughing up blood."

_"Mommy!"_

_"Oh, Sweetie! It's alright. Everything will be alright. Mommy's here! Mommy will take care of you!"_

"I tried every kind of medicine and remedy I could think of. But nothing worked. Since we had no money, I couldn't afford to take him to a doctor. The only ones who agreed to see him were monks and priestesses. They too tried medicines, then prayers and exorcisms. _Nothing_ worked! He just kept getting worse and worse."

Yuugi looked and saw two figures standing alone. Hikaru's head hung low; a man laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

_"I'm sorry, Hikaru-san. But we've done all we could."_

She pulled her hand away so she could cover her face. "In the end, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't save my son. I could only wait by his side, and watch him die."

_"Mommy?"_

_"I'm here, honey. I'm right here. I'll **always** be here."_

_"I'm tired."_

_"No, please! You must stay awake! Don't fall asleep! Don't go!"_

"Hikaru..." Yuugi tried to put his arms around her, to hug her, but she shrugged his hands away. "I'm sorry."

She wept for a long time, refusing his offers of comfort. He waited patiently for her to go on, his heart breaking with hers.

Finally, she calmed and continued. "When he died, I lost everything. I lost my home, my will to live, my heart. He took it all with him when he left. I would have given anything to see him again. To have my precious son back."

"In spite of that, I couldn't go. I stayed because... I was afraid. I was afraid of what would happen when I faced him again."

"I couldn't save him. He died, because of me. Surely he must blame me, hate me for what I've done. How can I... what would he say?"

Yuugi thought for a moment, letting all this information sink in. To anyone else, this would have been an extremely unusual case. The strange woman, the illness, all of it. But his life was and never would normal. He knew and accepted that a long time ago. He was always meant for great things, his life a gift to better mankind. He never once backed down, and he wouldn't now.

"I know what he'd say," he whispered.

Hikaru hiccupped and forced herself to face him, though fear sparkled in her eyes.

Yuugi coughed a bit, leaning forward again. "You... always said that I reminded of you of your son. That we were a lot alike. If that's the case, I know what he'd say." He sat up straight again, ignoring the headache and dizziness the movement caused. He looked her in the eyes and smiled.

"He'd say_... 'I know you did your best Mom. You did everything you could to save me. It's not your fault. And I'm happy... happy that you stayed with me to the end. I love you...'_"

Hikaru began crying even harder now. As Yuugi spoke, she swore she heard her own son's voice, speaking through him.

"Yuugi... Yuugi, I..."

She stopped and gasped as he coughed again, this attack the most violent he had ever suffered. He slumped over, falling off the park bench and kneeled on the ground, supporting himself on his hands and knees. Blood poured from his mouth, pooling on the ground as he spit it out desperately.

"Yuugi!!" Hikaru hurried to kneel beside, reaching to steady his shoulders.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!!"

Both Yuugi and Hikaru looked up to see Atemu approaching slowly, stalking like a predator about to pounce on his prey. His crimson eyes were aflame with hate and his fists clenched in fury. His powerful aura cracked with shadow energy, tiny bolts of dark magic cackling around his frame.

His enemy and aibou cringed and backed away in fear.

* * *

Oh no! Now what? Tune in next week to find out! 

I didn't go into extreme detail of Hikaru's past for a reason. You'll know why in an upcoming chapter.

Review!

StandAlone


	16. The Chosen Path

Welcome back! Glad you could make it!

Thanks so much to the following reviewers: **tavia454**, **CosmicEssence**, **Trikki**, **Cactus Bob**, **Spicey Babe**, **dragonlady222**, and **Mystik Genie**.

Most of you made a further guess regarding Hikaru, so rather than answering them all individually, I decided to just let the chapter speak for itself.

Disclaimer: Don't own!

* * *

_"I'm sure you'll grow stronger. From here on out, you'll find many feats you are capable of. Many, many more. And even if the path before you is not one you would choose... your strength will support and guide you."_ – Seishiro-san, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _Volume Seven_

**The Chosen Path**

Both Yuugi and Hikaru gasped in fear as Atemu stalked forward, a merciless hate shining in his eyes, fists clenched, and stance intimidating. A third eye was glowing in the middle of his forehead, alight with anger and growing brighter with each step he took. His stern expression made it very clear that he had no intention of discussing anything rationally.

It was moments like these that everyone knew not to mess with him. He was a rampaging beast, and anyone who got in the way would be trampled without a second thought. And in any other situation, Yuugi would be the first to back away and let him be.

But this was no normal situation. He understood that Atemu's only desire was to protect him, but if he let him have his way, he stood to lose something very important to him. So even though some might consider it the last act of a suicidal man, he followed his heart with no regrets.

Yuugi gulped down his fear, along with the bit of blood still dripping from his lips, and took a deep, steadying breath with closed eyes. When he opened them again and exhaled, his aura exuded the confidence and determination needed to stand up to his darker half. He didn't know where he found the strength, but he slowly pushed himself to his feet, back gradually straightening till he was fully upright. He couldn't manage much more at the moment though.

"Atemu... please, I..."

The pharaoh quickly cut him off, pausing in his approach. "Yuugi, you and I will talk later. Right now, I have to deal with that woman."

The younger's eyes narrowed defensively. "She has a name, ya know. It's Hikaru. And you're not _dealing_ with anyone." He was vaguely aware of said woman moving to stand beside him.

Atemu knew that Yuugi wouldn't make things easy for him. That lady had him wrapped around her little finger. But he wasn't going to back away either. Not now. "I have no choice, aibou. It's because of _her_ that you're sick. And if you continue to see her, she'll end up taking your life. I'm _not_ going to let that happen."

"She's not doing it on purpose. It's not her fault. You can't punish her for something she has no control over."

"I don't really care what her intentions were, she is still responsible. Now, get out of the way, and let me handle this." He took a few more steps towards the pair.

Yuugi moved to stand in front of his friend, stretching his arms outward in a protective stance. "I'm not going anywhere. If you want to get to Hikaru, you'll have to go through me."

From behind him, he heard a soft voice whisper his name. "Oh, Yuugi..."

Yami's third eye flared a bit, but then seemed to die down a little. "Don't be foolish. Move away from her."

"No! You heard me! I won't let you hurt her!" It was easy to see that standing this way was weakening him, but he did not falter.

Atemu growled angrily, in no way ready to back down. "Yuugi, you know I don't want to hurt you. But this is for your own good. So if you don't move it right now, I'll be forced to _make_ you."

As he spoke, the wind picked up, whipping all around him. In that moment, Atemu Mutou no longer stood before them. He didn't disappear or move at all, but something changed, and both Yuugi and Hikaru saw him as he truly was. His bronzed skin was bathed in a dark light, the shadow magic he was gifted with stirring in anticipation. The modern day clothes he'd been wearing seconds before gave way to a new raiment: a different rendition of his pharaoh's garb. In ancient Egypt, his robes were of a pure white linen, tied with a blue sash around his waist and a violet cape encircling him. But he was not simply Pharaoh Atemu or Yami no Yuugi anymore. He had grown and changed, merging the two identities into the single entity that now stood before him. So now, while a crown of gold and other jewelry yet adorned him, his tunic was made of his favorite black leather and his cape a even darker shade of purple. (**A.N. Mmmm, can you imagine? So yummy...)**

Yuugi and Hikaru gasped in surprise at the change, and both took a step backwards. Despite the threats and regardless of this strange occurrence, the young duelist did not retreat from his position. He swallowed heavily.

"G-go ahead and try. I'm staying right here."

"Yuugi..."

"NO! I won't let you hurt her!"

A stray thought crossed his mind, and Atemu snapped without thinking. "Yuugi, that woman is NOT your mother!"

His mouth fell open slightly and a flash of realization flit across his features. The comment seemed to have the same effect as a slap across the face. In spite of the recoil, Yuugi was quick to retaliate. "I don't care! She's the closest thing I have!"

A choked sob was muffled in response to his bold declaration.

If possible, Atemu's crimson orbs narrowed further. "Really? Why don't you take a look at her now?" He pointed accusingly at Hikaru.

Yuugi lowered his arms and looked over his shoulder at his friend. He was surprised once more as her appearance too had altered. She had always appeared as normal as anyone, save for the outdated kimono she always wore, but now he could see right through her. It was rather reminiscent of how his yami had once appeared, translucent and invisible to everyone save himself. In addition to that, he could see that her shoulders were burdened with heavy chains that encircled her torso and arms, binding and constricting her. One of them extended from her heart towards Yuugi, the end disappearing somewhere on his chest. Another snaked downward, that one somehow linked to the ground, with no end in sight.

"Hikaru?"

She had no words to answer him. Instead, she bit her lower lip and looked away shamefully.

"Ryou was right. She's not human." Thinking the matter closed, Atemu prepared himself to attack. He held out his right fist at shoulder height, tiny bolts of shadow magic crackling around his arm. The bolts flowed towards his outstretched hand and gathered together to form a sword of pure energy. His fingers loosened to grip what might have been a hilt, and he moved to point the end at Hikaru. "It's over, Yuugi. Get out of the way and let me finish this."

The boy snapped his head to look back at him. "Atemu... I..." He trailed off, too stunned to say more or move in either direction.

The angry Egyptian redirected his glare to the sobbing spirit. "Before I get rid of you, I want to know how and why you did this to Yuugi. He didn't do anything to deserve such a fate. And yet you hurt him, cursed him with this illness." He stalked closer to her. "Did you kill your own son this way as well?"

Hikaru looked up slowly to meet his gaze, sorrow and understanding evident in her countenance. "No. I did not kill my son," she whispered patiently. "And as for Yuugi... he has never been anything but kind to me. And believe me when I say that I _never_ meant to hurt him. But... I couldn't help myself."

As she continued, she shifted slightly to face her young friend as well. "My curse was... my memory." There was a soft sigh. "My son died of a terrible illness; I had nothing to do with that. My only sin then was that I could not save the child I loved so much. But you see, when he died, I became consumed by fear, sorrow, and loneliness. In the years following, I hid away, having contact with no one, wallowing in my grief. I stayed that way for a very long time."

She closed her eyes then, yet a few tears managed to escape. "But no one can stay that way forever. Eventually, I longed for the companionship of others once more. So I sought out anyone who might show me compassion. And there were some, like you Yuugi, who did."

A river of silver tears poured forth as her lids lifted. Her head lolled back to gaze at the dark night sky. "But... whenever I began to get close to someone, I grew... afraid. I couldn't help but think about my son. I thought, 'what if I really start to care about this person only to have them taken away from me? What if I'm forced to watch another precious life slip through my fingers, while I am powerless to save them?' And... after a while... that's what began to happen."

"It was my fear, my _memory_, that hurt others. My memory... bound them to the same fate as my son. There was nothing I could do. It was beyond my control."

"In time, those people that I met figured out what was happening... that I was the cause of their suffering. And so, in order to protect themselves, they abandoned me to my grief. No one ever stayed."

Now she turned fully towards Yuugi, their eyes locking in a silent conversation. "No one ever stayed... except for you." Her lips curled up in a soft smile. "You came back to me, even knowing that I was the cause of your pain. You offered me friendship and love, at the risk of your very life. And... you also gave me something else. Something... I needed very much."

All three were silent for a long time. Yuugi and Hikaru continued to gaze at one another, one deeply confused but trusting, the other eternally grateful and happy.

As for Atemu, the third eye that had before shone with the fiery brilliance of his hate, died down and disappeared. Even so, he did not lower his sword.

"Alright," he said softly after a while, "I've heard enough. Aibou, step away from her and let's end this."

Yuugi blinked and gasped in shock. He rounded on his dark scornfully. "What?! How can you possibly say that? Even after hearing all that?"

Yami sighed in exasperation and rolled his eyes. "Yuugi, I understand how you feel. I'm not heartless, you know that. But whatever the reason, the facts remain the same. Hikaru is killing you. She _will_ kill you, whether she wants to or not. And since you've made it very clear that _you_ won't stay away from _her_, then _she's_ the one that has to go."

"But... Atemu!"

His eyes darkened with empathy, and he nodded his head once. "I'm sorry."

In a quick movement they didn't see coming, Atemu reached forward with his left hand and grabbed Yuugi by the wrist, throwing him backwards. Then in a single spin, he slashed forward with his energy sword, striking Hikaru across the chest and severing the chain connecting the two friends.

She screamed in pain as he fell to the ground with a hard thud.

Yuugi wasted no time in pushing himself back up, shaking his head to clear the dizziness.

"NO!" He immediately recovered from the minor fall, pushing past his yami and reached for Hikaru. He was stunned to find that when he reached out to touch her, his hand slipped right through her fading form. "Hikaru!"

A light began to shine from within the young hikari, and he was then revealed as the angel he always was at heart. His pale skin was kissed with an ethereal glow, and suddenly the great scars on his back could be seen. They changed from pink to white, alighting with a heavenly aura, and his wings unfurled, like some massive bird about to take flight. There were a few chains wrapped about his own torso, though these were much smaller and lighter than the ones Hikaru bore. The broken end of the link that bound him to the woman dangled uselessly, mercilessly cut in one clean stroke.

Hikaru's spirit rose above the ground, hovering surreally, and her form began to dissipate like smoke being blown away by the wind. She smiled as Yuugi reached for her, her grin widening when the chains around her shoulders and chest fell away and the one that connected her to this world released.

"Yuugi..."

"Hikaru! Don't go! Please!" He tried desperately to take her outstretched hand, but once more, it fell through.

She lightly touched his cheek, aware that he would not physically feel her hand but would sense it in his soul regardless. When she spoke, her voice seemed hollow, the last fading echo spoken in a dark cavern. "Shh. It's alright, Yuugi. This... is for the best." She giggled softly. "You and I both know that I do not belong in this world. I've lingered for far too long, afraid to embrace what's next. But... because of you... I can finally move on. I can rest. And... I can face my son again. You were the one who made that possible."

She leaned down, kissing him lightly on the forehead. "Thank you, Yuugi. Thank you for showing me such kindness. And thank you for staying with me... to the very end."

Yuugi hiccupped, frantically trying to suppress a sob. A waterfall of tears cascaded down his pale cheeks. "Please don't go..."

Hikaru laughed in understanding, but shook her head. She leaned back and released her hold, closing her eyes leisurely. When she opened them again, a fierce pride sparkled in their fading depths. "Yuugi... when I see your parents, I will tell them... that their son has become a fine young man, whom they can be very proud of."

His amethyst orbs widened and he covered his mouth with a hand to hold back a cry.

"Goodbye."

Finally, her spirit melted away to nothingness; her soft smile the last of her features to disappear. A single card, the one Yuugi had given her as a token of love and friendship, floated soundlessly to the ground.

And just like that, she was gone for good.

The chill night air blew about the two young men, an eerie, but peaceful silence settling over the area. A moment more, and all was back to normal: the angel and the pharaoh merely Yuugi and Atemu Mutou once again.

Yuugi fell to his hands and knees, releasing an anguished cry at the loss.

Atemu's face fell in concern and sympathy as he slowly walked over to his heartbroken love. He wasn't surprised when the younger snapped his head up and glared at him.

"Why? Why did you do it?" he asked accusingly. "Why did you take her away from me?!" He wiped his eyes angrily as he waited for an answer.

"Because I couldn't let her take _you_ away from _me_."

If Yuugi had something to say in response, either good or bad, it was lost. His head swam in a dizzying swirl, and the last thing he saw was his eternal protector rushing forward to hold him, the sweet bliss of sleep claiming him.

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For a rather short chapter, that took a REALLY long time to write. 

Anyway, all of your remaining questions about Hikaru will be answered in the next chapter... the first of the final three!

Please review!

StandAlone


	17. Necessity, Part One

Hey there! Sorry this chapter is so late. It's the first part of what I like to call "the explanation chapters". Just as the name implies, most of all your previous questions regarding Hikaru and Yuugi will be answered in the next two installments. This and the next were originally one chapter, but it got too long again, so I chopped it in half. It was difficult to write, which was why it took so long. But better late than never, right:P

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! Sorry for not responding here, but I know you all just want to get to the story anyway. So enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-gi-oh! or the borrowed story from xxxHolic.

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_"It is not in anyone's power to bring the dead back to life. Not even those we call gods. That's what my father told me. And **because** our time it limited... you have to give everything you have, and live for those things you believe in. That's what he said."_ - Syaoran, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _Volume Ten_

**Necessity, Part One**

Katsuya Jounouchi hurried to gather his things as the final bell rang for the day, and then left the classroom in a rush. He was supposed to have detention with the Phy. Ed. teacher in a few minutes, (as a result of the fight he started in the middle of a soccer game earlier that day) but he had no intention of going. His best bud was in the hospital after all, and that was far more important than anything school related.

He sprinted down the hall, threw his books in his locker, slammed the door, and headed for the front entrance to meet up with Anzu and Honda. He quickly found them waiting at their usual place at the school gate, and was greeted with a half hearted smile from one and a scowl from the other.

"Dude, what took you so long?" Honda grumbled, clearly not in the best of moods.

Jou rolled his eyes as they began to walk together. "Oh shove it, would ya? I wasn't _that_ late."

"Take it easy, guys," Anzu chided. "I know we're all worried about Yuugi, but fighting with each other won't help anyone."

Both boys sighed and nodded a small agreement. A moment of silence followed as the three friends got caught up in their own thoughts, all revolving around the same thing. It was Honda who finally broke the awkward moment.

"So, Anzu, have you heard how he's doing?" She was always the most well informed of the group when it came to such things, so she would naturally be the one to ask.

The brunette shook her head. "Last I heard, he still hadn't woken up, or showed any signs of improvement. The doctors are still running tests to try and figure out what's wrong with him."

Jou scratched his head in confusion. "I still don't get it. I mean, from what Atemu told us, that spirit woman or whatever was the one who made him sick. But she's gone now, so Yuugi should be getting better, right?"

Honda agreed. "Makes sense to me."

"Except that's _not_ what happened," Anzu commented. "Atemu said that he carried Yuugi home from the park and put him to bed thinking he just needed to sleep. But then he didn't wake up the next morning." She rubbed her arms and shuddered. "They said he looked like he was dead, but he was still breathing and had a pulse. So they took him to the ER where he's been ever since."

Honda looked crestfallen. "Two days, and he hasn't even twitched. I'm telling you guys, something really weird's going on."

Jounouchi turned and smacked his friend on the head. "Well obviously! He was attacked by a ghost! I'd say that qualifies as weird, don't ya think?!"

He was stuck back in the arm, but the two were too worried to start a full blown fight. Instead, Jou cracked his knuckles and stared at the ground menacingly. "It's a good thing Atemu got to that woman first, cuz I would've totally wasted her if I had the chance. _Nobody_ messes with my little buddy and gets away with it!!"

Honda smirked. "Exactly how would you go about wasting a spirit?"

He glared at him and opened his mouth to retaliate, but could think of nothing to say.

Anzu shook her head at the two hapless boys with a small smile. Then she sighed and glanced up at the sky. "Poor Yuugi. I really hope the doctors can help him. But... how are they gonna treat a disease inflicted by a ghost?"

Jou put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "I don't know. But don't you worry. We've all been through worse than this. He'll pull through, you'll see."

She offered a grateful grin. "Yeah. Maybe you're right." She paused and looked down. "Still, I can't help but worry. For both of them, I mean. Atemu isn't doing very well himself. Mutou-san said he hasn't left Yuugi's side. And he hasn't eaten or slept since they took him in."

The others nodded. "Yep. That sounds like something Atemu would do," Honda said.

"Can ya blame him?" Katsuya asked. "I mean, how would you feel if the person you loved was in trouble, and you couldn't do anything to help?"

"That doesn't even begin to describe it," the girl commented. "Those two share a bond deeper than anything we could ever imagine. I can't even begin to comprehend it. So I doubt any of us can ever understand what he's going through."

They all fell into a quiet contemplation as they continued on their way. It wasn't until they were approaching the front doors of Domino Memorial Hospital that Jounouchi finally spoke.

"Well, whatever's going on, I'm still gonna do everything I can to help. We'll cheer him up and somehow let Yuugi know that we're all with him to end. And then everything'll be back to normal. Are ya with me, guys?" He stopped walking and held out a hand, palm down.

Anzu and Honda nodded with smiles, and placed their own hands over Jou's.

"That's right!"

"You bet!"

"Friends till the end!"

**(A.N. What's a Yu-gi-oh! fic without a cheesy friendship moment? LOL)**

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After speaking with the receptionist, the threesome was directed to an upstairs waiting room where they were told Mutou-san was currently seated. Indeed, that's exactly where they located him, occupying himself by filling out consent forms for further tests to be preformed on their ailing friend. 

Although his grandson had spent more than a fair share of his life in various hospitals and ERs, it was obvious that it never calmed his nerves. He loved him very much after all, and even though they'd been through many, and sometimes far worse, situations, he never ceased to dote over and worry for him. As such, he was looking quite frayed around the edges, jumpy and easily startled. His silver brows were narrowed in thoughtful anxiety and his lips set to a small frown. The teenagers noted that he appeared rather frustrated, having a great deal of difficulty concentrating on the task at hand.

They approached slowly so as not to alarm him, considerate of his poor heart condition.

"Mutou-san?" Anzu said softly.

He didn't seem to hear her. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the clipboard resting on his lap and scratched his head with the end of a pen, frown deepening slightly.

Anzu and the boys looked at one another and shrugged, deciding to just take a seat and wait until he had finished his task. A quick glance around revealed that Atemu was nowhere to be found.

Sugoroku sighed after a while as he signed the final form, relieved to be finished. He simply had to return them to the nurse, and then he could go back to Yuugi's room and sit with him. Although such an action would serve little purpose for the boy, being near him brought the old man some ease, even if he understood little of what was inflicting him.

He stood up, taking the clipboard with him and stretched his back a bit. Hospital chairs were in no way made for comfort, the blasted things were probably created to stress people out even more than they already were. His spine popped a few times from the movement, resulting in a small groan of displeasure. He kept one hand on his lower back for support as he returned to the receptionist's desk and handed her the papers. Then he turned and headed down the hall.

"Mutou-san! Wait for us!"

Sugoroku paused and looked back, not entirely surprised to see Anzu, Honda, and Jounouchi hurrying after him. He knew they'd probably stop in to see how their buddy was doing, although he wasn't sure when. He smiled gently, taking some cheer from knowing his grandson had such caring friends to rely on.

"Oh, hello there! When did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago," Anzu answered. She didn't mention that he had failed to notice them sitting directly across from him.

He continued on as they teenagers fell in step next to him. "Well, thank you for coming. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure Atemu and Yuugi would feel that same."

Jou waved a hand dismissively. "Hey, what are friends for?"

Honda was the one to ask the question on all their minds. "So, has there been any change?"

Sugoroku's smile faded, and he shook his head. "Not yet, I'm afraid. We actually had rather close call this morning. I wasn't in the room at the time, but apparently his heart stopped and they almost lost him. They performed CPR and shocked him a few times, but he didn't respond. They were about to declare a time of death, but then it just suddenly started up again."

"Oh man," Honda mumbled. Jou and Anzu nodded in like.

"They don't know what to make of anything. The doctors can't figure out what's wrong with him, nor do they know why he crashed and then so suddenly returned." They were startled when the old man chuckled suddenly. "I bet I understand the latter though. Atemu has almost never left the room, so he _was_ there when it happened. I heard from a nurse that it took three staff members to hold him back. He was shouting at Yuugi the whole time. I have no idea what he said, but if I had to make a guess, I'd say Yuugi heard him and responded in his own way."

The others nodded, grinning slightly at the mental image they conjured at the situation. Although they would have reacted just as irrationally, the idea of the dignified pharaoh shouting both obscenities and broken-hearted endearments was a _little_ funny. It was short lived moment, and they sobered up again at the thought of almost losing their most beloved friend.

"Ah, here we are," Sugoroku said stopping at a door. "Oh, by the way, please be careful about what you say to Atemu. I know you just want to help, but he hasn't slept in two days and he's a bit touchy."

"Got it."

With that, he turned the doorknob and slowly pushed open the door, entering quietly along with his young companions.

The unnatural stillness that flooded the room even as its number of occupants multiplied was nearly unbearable. The noise of their footsteps seemed to echo gloomily. The only other sound was the steady beep of the machine monitoring Yuugi's heart rate.

The three made their way to the bed, focusing first on the sleeping angel. Just as Anzu had said, he looked like he was already dead. His petal soft lips seemed almost tinted blue, and his face an icy white. He was wearing a standard cream-colored hospital gown, with white blankets covering him up to his waist. His equally pale hands were neatly folded across his stomach.

Anzu reached over and took one of Yuugi's hands in her own, squeezing it lightly as tears cascaded down her cheeks.

They said nothing for a while, simply choosing to study their friend and offer soundless prayers to whatever god would listen. Finally, Jounouchi couldn't take it anymore and broke into a huge grin.

"Hiya, Yuugi! What's up?" Silence. "You must be having one hell of a good dream, since you decided you don't wanna get up yet. But don't worry. We'll be here when ya wake. But ya know, we do got stuff to do. SOME of us still gotta go to school and stuff. So you better not keep us waiting too long, ya hear?"

Jou's enthusiasm was always infectious, so Honda decided to say his piece as well. "Jou's right. And hey, I'll even take ya to Burger World. You can eat burgers until your stomach bursts. How's that? I'll even pay for it; my treat. So how 'bout it?"

Still no response.

"Yeah," Anzu chirped in, choking back sobs. "And weren't you going to help me with my algebra? Ya know, my grade's starting to slip again. I can't count on these dorks to help me out. So you better get up, okay?"

Nothing.

From somewhere off to the side, a deep baritone voice softly snapped.

"Don't you think I've tried that already?" Atemu mumbled.

The three looked over at him and tried not to gasp at the sight. His hair was always in disarray, untamable by any sort of product, but now it was even more disheveled, probably from running weary hands through it or practically tearing it out in frustration. Dark circles were prominent under his eyes, and his crimson orbs were nearly masked from being so bloodshot. He'd bypassed his usual leather attires for a more comfortable black t-shirt and dark blue jeans, and both were rumbled. He probably hadn't bothered to change them in a few days.

His muscles and joints popped and protested as he sat up from a forward incline, and rather leaned back, resting his arms on the chair's rests and straightening his legs out. He let out a long, tired sigh, saying no more.

Sugoroku and the other teenagers made no response. They understood that he was having a difficult time, just as they were. They'd fought so many battles together, and always sheer will and friendship as well as their own individual attributes and strengths overcame every obstacle thrown their way. But now, they were forced to watch on the sidelines, helpless and useless as Yuugi fought a silent battle alone. Certainly they were with him in mind and spirit, but it was solely up to him to choose his own fate. And should that fate lead him to a place they could no longer follow...

No. They wouldn't think of such things. Yuugi never took the easy way out, and he wouldn't now. He would never abandon them. Especially not Atemu.

After a while, they decided that there was little they could do at the moment, so each one pulled up a chair, forming a semi circle around the bed while they waited for news from the doctor.

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A few uncomfortable hours passed for the group. A Dr. Monou Seishiro came in a few times to draw blood and check that Yuugi was stable. At one point, he and a few nurses wheeled their buddy away on a gurney to do an MRI and a few other tests they'd never heard of. He wasn't gone long, but Atemu accompanied them anyway, while the others waited in the room. 

Anzu, Honda, Jounouchi, and Sugoroku left a few times to use the bathroom, get some food, and simply stretch their legs. The teenagers also occupied themselves by doing their homework and engaging in mindless chitchat.

As for Yami, he said and did very little. Most of the time, he leaned forward, head in his hands and stared at the floor. But occasionally, he would scoot his chair closer to Yuugi and ignored the others as they watched his movements. He'd take one of his hikari's soft hands, kissing it lightly or gently rubbing his thumb across his knuckles. Or he'd tenderly caress his pale face, tracing every little feature that so enraptured him. He never spoke aloud, but they suspected much was said through the mind link they once shared.

His friends tried to cheer him or engage him in conversation sporadically, but he would have none of it.

After some time, Dr. Monou returned. To their surprise, he had a small grin on his face, seemingly amused by something. He shook his head, short black hair swaying from the movement, and his clear grey eyes sparkled with mirth as he looked over Yuugi's chart. A nurse with light brown hair tied in pigtails came in a moment later. She was holding a tray on which a few syringes filled with various liquids were carefully arranged.

"Well, well," the doctor said at last, "it was no wonder we were having such a hard time with this." He closed the lid of the chart and held it loosely at his side, turning to face the group of interested friends.

"Well, we've _finally_ figure out what's wrong with Yuugi-kun. He has what we call _Noroi no Chi_, or 'curse of blood'. More commonly, simply _Blood Curse_. The reason we were so confused and couldn't figure it out is because the disease hasn't existed for hundreds of years. It was quite prominent during the Warring States era, inflicting and killing mostly poor families and children. To be honest, historians and scientists still aren't exactly sure what caused it, how it was transmitted, and other such things. It seemed to attack at random."

The group looked at one another in confusion. "So, if it hasn't been around for so long, how could Yuugi possibly have caught it?" Sugoroku wondered. He asked the obvious question even though Atemu had already explained that it was an undead spirit that had attackedYuugi.

Monou shrugged. "I hate to admit it, but your guess is as good as mine."

Jou looked worried. "So, how do you cure something like this?"

The good doctor chuckled. "Well, fortunately, medical technology has advanced since the Warring States Era. Back then, they didn't have the proper medicine or knowledge or treat it, but that's all changed."

"So..."

He smiled gently. "Yuugi's going to be just fine. If he'd waited any longer, then yes, we probably would have lost him. But you brought him just in time. The treatment is a simple series of injections of antibodies. I'll give him the first few right now..." He waved the nurse over, who promptly prepared the syringes and cleaned a small area on Yuugi's arm. "They should take effect pretty quickly. He'll probably wake up fairly soon. I'll have to check him over again, but he should likely be able to return home sometime tomorrow. I'll give him a few more injections before he leaves, and I'll prescribe some medicine to help him regain his strength and boost his immune system."

As he spoke, he had pulled on a pair of gloves and began administering the antibodies. The process took only a minute or so as he injected one after the other and replaced the now empty needles on the tray. Then he turned again and looked directly at Sugoroku.

"Make sure he gets plenty of rest, eats properly, and takes the pills. We'll go over this again with Yuugi-kun once he wakes of course."

There was a collective sigh of relief from all of them as the doctor concluded. The nurse applied a bandage to the slightly bleeding arm.

"I'll be back to check on him in a little while." He glanced at his watch. "You can all stay for another hour or so, but then I'll have to ask you leave and let him be." He looked at the grandfather again. "You, however, may stay as long as you like."

Sugoroku nodded with a grateful smile. "Thank you so much Monou-sama." He stood momentarily and shook his hand.

Jou and Honda high-fived while Anzu and Sugoroku wiped away tears of happiness. Atemu squeezed Yuugi's hand, and smiled for the first time in several days.

"Ha! Told you he'd be fine!" Katsuya laughed proudly. He stood and walked over the bed, ruffling Yuugi's hair fondly. "I knew you'd beat this!"

"Of course. Yuugi's far too strong to succumb to something so insignificant."

The group faced the door in surprise. Though the voice was familiar, it was one they hadn't heard in a long time.

Leaning against the frame was a white-haired boy wearing a blue and white stripped t-shirt, blue jeans, and long black trench coat. Bright mahogany eyes shone against slightly reddened skin. He grinned as he pushed himself up and fully entered the room.

"Ryou!"

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Okay, so maybe I didn't really answer any questions this chapter. Anyway, I will next time. I promise. 

A few notes: The Blood Curse isn't an actual disease or anything. Special thanks to Trikki for translating that for me. :P Does anyone know a good site or something where I can translate English to Japanese or English to Egyptian? I actually really need one for a future fic, so any suggestions would be welcome. Also, the doctor's name was borrowed from two characters in CLAMP's manga x/1999.

Review!

StandAlone


	18. Necessity, Part Two

Chapter 18! And finally the answers you've wanted!

**A.N.** - Just a note for those of you who've been asking, Yami Bakura does **NOT** make an appearance in this fic. So when I refer to Bakura, I am in fact still talking about Ryou (ya know, going back and forth between the first and last name so it doesn't get so repetitious ). An explanation of Y.B.'s absence is provided at the end of this chapter.

**CosmicEssence:** Read on for the answers!

**Cactus Bob**: Thanks for including those web addresses! I haven't checked them out yet, but if they're accurate, they'd be very helpful for my next major project.

**Trikki:** Thanks for helping with that bit! If you decide to check out my next fic, maybe you could double check my accuracy. Cactus Bob included some web addresses to help me with translation, but it's always good to have an extra opinion. By the way, I've always wanted to learn Japanese! If I can ever find a reliable place to that is. Kudos to you though!

**Atemu Yugi Lover 34** and **drgonlady222**: Thanks for your reviews!

Disclaimer: Don't own.

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_"Those who pass into the world of the dead will never again return. As with the flame, nothing caught up in the flow of time will ever be repeated. Everything changes. Nothing changes back."_ – Ashura-o, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _Volume Ten_

**Necessity, Part Two**

"Ryou!" Anzu, Honda, and Jounouchi jumped in surprise, but hurried to embrace their friend. Sugoroku likewise stood and shook the young man's hand. Atemu, however, remained seated, refusing to release Yuugi's hand. He merely offered a friendly wave.

"It's so good to see you!" Anzu gushed happily.

"It's great to be home. I've really missed you guys," Ryou said with a grin. He folded his arms sheepishly behind his head, and although it was difficult to see against his sun-burned skin, an overly shy blush from all the attention rushed to his cheeks.

"When did you get back?" Honda asked, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Early this morning. I spent most of the day unpacking."

Jou shrugged. "So why didn't you give us a call?"

Bakura waved a hand dismissively. "I knew you guys were busy." He concluded the conversation by pushing past the trio and approaching the bedside. Upon reaching it, he gently laid one hand across Yuugi's forehead and clasped his wrist in the other, gazing at him thoughtfully.

From the other side, Atemu was doing his best not to feel jealous. He couldn't really help it; he was envious of anyone who was physically affectionate with his light. And he knew very well there was nothing to worry about; Yuugi and Ryou did not share _those_ kinds of feelings for one another.

He'd asked them once, quite a while ago. It was shortly after they'd returned from Egypt and he'd finally settled into his own room. The two lights were spending a lot of time together, and Yami couldn't understand why. Wouldn't Yuugi rather be with him, especially now that he had his own body? After all, there was so much they could do that they couldn't before. But instead, he often went over to Ryou's apartment while Atemu spent time with their other friends. Finally, he let his jealousy get the best of him and casually inquired as to the nature of their relationship. Both were rather indignant and upset that he would presume so much and assured him that they were merely good friends.

When they were alone, Yuugi explained that his first agenda was to help Ryou get in touch with his family. Somehow, they'd have to explain that the homicidal maniac who terrorized and tormented others was not their son, but a malicious fragment of an evil god of darkness trapped in the Millennium Ring and capable of possessing him**. (See Author's Note at the end of the chapter)** It was the initial step on the path to picking up the shattered pieces of his once happy life, and he couldn't do it alone. Yuugi needed to be there to corroborate this seemingly unbelievable tale.

And secondly, he wanted to give Atemu the chance to discover for himself what he wished to be and do, what he desired from life. Yuugi didn't want to be a hindrance in that, so he took a step back in order to let him live his own life.

Once again, the former pharaoh was shamed to discover his unbiased fears were simply another example of his aibou's selflessness and kindness, his guilt made worse by Yuugi's uncanny ability to easily forgive and forget.

In the end, he supposed that the bond two hikari's shared was something he'd never understand, just as the others couldn't fathom the one shared between a yami and hikari. This was as far as he'd come to understand it: if Jounouchi was Yuugi's best friend, and Atemu his (possible) lover, then Ryou was his brother. So there was no reason for him to be so possessive.

He still was, though.

All watched as Ryou casually looked his friend over, nodding and smiling in relief. "Well," he said with a light chuckle, "I'm glad to see he's alright. He looks a lot better already." The others looked, and indeed he did. Although the doctor had only administered his medicine a few moments ago, the color was gradually returning to his once deathly pale face. His breathing was resuming a more normal rate, the rise and fall of his chest now more noticeable than before.

Ryou grinned and clapped his hands once, then pulled up a chair near the bed. He crossed one leg over the other comfortably and folded his hands in his lap. "So, I'll bet you guys have a lot of questions about what happened to Yuugi. I know I wasn't here to see it all, but I have some ideas. I might be able to help clear some things up." There was an almost mysterious glint in his mahogany eyes as he spoke.

Everyone except for Atemu looked at each other questioningly. They all knew Ryou was much more knowledgeable when it came to matters of the supernatural, but they were still uncertain. Regardless of their misgivings, they let their curiosity get the better of them. They settled themselves in their seats again.

After a while, Jou decided he would ask the first question. "Alright. I've got one. What the heck was that thing that attacked Yug?"

Ryou shook his head. "I thought that would have been obvious. She was an earthbound spirit, a restless soul, a ghost... take your pick. We've all heard the stories. People die everyday, but there are some who are unable to move on, perhaps because they had a tragic death, or because they have unfinished business to take care of. For Hikaru, the grief over losing her son and the fear of facing him in the afterlife prevented her from going to the place she belonged and instead locked her here."

He paused a moment, mulling over a few more stray thoughts before he continued. "I spoke with Monou-sama earlier, and he told me Yuugi has _Noroi no Chi_. Since that epidemic struck during the Warring States era, we can presume that Hikaru and her son lived during that period, that the boy died from _Noroi no Chi_, and that she's been stuck on this plane of existence for all that time. In addition, since ghosts tend to 'haunt' places that have a special significance for them, I'm guessing that somewhere around the park area up to the streets around the game shop might have been the village or city where she once lived. It might even be the place where either her or her son perished."

The other teenagers nodded in agreement with his assumptions. "But," Honda objected, "how could a ghost hurt someone like this? Atemu said that her uh... memory or something trapped Yuugi and made him sick. How is that possible?"

Bakura's smile widened a little. "Just because we die, doesn't mean we lose our sense of self or our abilities." He threw a casual glance at the ex-pharaoh. "So then... is it not possible that we might gain _more_ abilities, willing or otherwise that we didn't have before? There are plenty of documented cases of spirits who moved objects, played with lights, manipulated a living person's mind or emotions, even physically harming others. The idea that Hikaru could make Yuugi sick in the same way shouldn't be so far fetched. And that it was caused by a memory? We all know how powerful they can be. After all, the memory of a single name had the power to save the world." He nodded again at Atemu, who seemed to be paying very little attention to the conversation.

The boys scratched their heads in confusion, trying in vain to follow his line of reasoning. However, Anzu seemed to have no trouble understanding. That, or she had simply accepted that such matters were beyond them and better left to those directly involved.

"Okay... I guess," Jou mumbled eventually.

Sugoroku piped in with his own inquiry then. "I've always known that my grandson was special, meant for great things." He chuckled, pride shining on his aged features. "He's done so much already, stuff you only here about it fairy tales, and he's only 17. But..." And now he directed his comments to Ryou. "...don't get me wrong, I know first hand about magic and destiny and all that. Some things in life simply can't be explained. And I can accept that the woman he was meeting with all this time might have been a ghost. But... does that mean he can see them? Was he gifted with some kind of ability to communicate with the dead?" It was clear that the thought of it unnerved the elderly man.

"Oh, I wouldn't really say that exactly," Ryou responded. He looked over at the still sleeping duelist, his face alight with admiration. "Yuugi is... so very kind. He's always so eager to help others; those is trouble... those is pain. He wants to help them all. His heart breaks with theirs. I would call it both his desire and his destiny... to help others. As such, it makes him keen to sensing people who need his help. Even people... who are already dead."

He looked back at Grandpa. "I think... he was able to see her, communicate with her because of his desire to help her. And because she needed him. Just as he needed her."

A soft stirring sigh interrupted them. Everyone redirected their vision towards the bed, breaths hitching in anticipation. Yuugi took in another deep breath and exhaled again, shifting his body unconsciously into a different position. Atemu reluctantly released his hand and frowned in disappointment when he did not wake.

They watched for a moment more, hoping that if they waited long enough he'd sit up in confusion, rub his sleepy eyes, and chastise them for worrying so much. But apparently he wasn't ready to do that yet. Unbeknownst to the others, Ryou wore a knowing smirk.

"There is something _I_ wish to know." Atemu lifted his bowed head and spoke for the first time in a long while.

Ryou tilted his own, an encouraging smile on his face as he waited for him to continue.

Yami seemed to consider something that was very important, sorting his thoughts and reaching back for a faded memory. After collecting himself, he sat up straight in his chair, piercing crimson eyes gazing directing into Bakura's. "You told me once before that Yuugi needed something from Hikaru. You said he would face something very dangerous, something that might even claim his life. I know now what it was that threatened him. But what I don't know... is why? For what purpose did he have to go through all this? What was it he needed from her? And what did she need from him?"

There was a long silence while he thought, wondering about the best way to answer. However, it was Sugoroku who finally replied. "I believe I can make a guess at that," he glanced at Ryou, "if you don't mind."

He waved a hand in a sign for him to go ahead.

Sugoroku folded his arthritic hands smoothly and leaned back to make himself more comfortable. "Everyone on this earth, at some time in their life, will lose something very precious to them. Something so precious, that to lose it means losing a piece of themselves. When it's gone, it is certain that they will never be the same again. They may move on with their lives, perhaps even find their own happiness, but there is one thing that will never change. There will always be a gaping hole in the heart of the survivor, one which may grow smaller in time but will always be there nonetheless. For Hikaru, it was her son. And for Yuugi, it was his parents."

He paused and nodded to let that much sink in before moving on. "Both of them were in pain, bound by the void where their beloved treasure should have been. It was so enormous that it was tearing them apart, binding _her_ to the world of the living and _him_ to a sorrow he couldn't forget. In order to fill that hole, they needed to regain what they've lost. Unfortunately, the dead cannot come back to life." He smiled and threw a pointed look at the once lifeless pharaoh. "Except in very special circumstances of course. In any case, they needed something from the ones they loved, but of course they couldn't get it. So instead, they became surrogates for one another, he the son and her the parent. And in their last moments together, they achieved what they needed in order to move on."

Sugoroku closed his eyes slowly and took a deep breath. "_Forgiveness_. That is what they needed. Hikaru blamed herself for being unable to save her son. And Yuugi felt guilty about surviving that horrible crash while his parents did not. Even though their shame was unfounded, they would not be able to continue with their lives, moving on to where they belong and allow the hole in their hearts to be filled unless they received some form of forgiveness. And as surrogates, they could give each other that."

Atemu's eyes widened in realization as he remembered the words he'd overhead them say to each other.

_"He'd say... 'I know you did your best Mom. You did everything you could to save me. It's not your fault. And I'm happy... happy that you stayed with me to the end. I love you..."_

_"Yuugi... when I see your parents, I will tell them... that their son have become a fine young man, whom they can be very proud of."_

He gazed at Yuugi in both wonder and compassion.

"_That_ is what they needed from one another. That... and permission to move on."

Yet another uncomfortable stillness flood the room, as all its occupants empathized silently with their friend and the spirit whom he cared for.

"Atemu?"

The others turned to him when Ryou called his name. He was glaring at the floor hotly, head bowed once more, fists clenched tightly and shaking in fury.

"Atemu, what's wrong?" Anzu asked.

"I... I was the one, who separated them. I took Hikaru away from Yuugi. And he needed her; he loved her. I tried to deny it, but... she made him happy. More so than I'd ever seen him before. And I destroyed that." He slammed both his fists on the chair's armrest and his shoulders trembled. "What have I done?! He... he'll hate me forever for this! What am I... what should I do?"

Ryou smiled and shook his head in exasperation. "Atemu, remember when I called and warned you about all this? Do you remember what I said?"

He looked up but said nothing.

"I told you that Yuugi needed for this to happen, but you had to make sure he didn't get carried away. I told you not to let him die. So tell me, what would have happened if you hadn't stepped in to save him that night?"

Yami blinked slowly in confusion. "He would have died. _Noroi no Chi_ would have killed him."

Bakura stood up, waving his hands excitedly and approaching him. "Exactly! He would have died! Whether she wanted to or not, Hikaru would have certainly killed him! Is that what you wanted? Would you have preferred that?"

"Of course not!"

He kneeled down in front of Atemu to look in his eyes and lowered his voice considerably. "And if you had to do it over again, would you have done things differently? Would you have reconsidered your actions?"

Atemu didn't even have to think about. "No," he said softly with a small gulp. "I would have done the same thing."

Ryou rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "And any of us would had we been there. You did the right thing. You know you did. So there's no need to regret. Even if Yuugi does hate you, _you, _at least, can be at peace with your decision. We all can."

None knew why, but he threw a casual glance over his shoulder at the sleeping hikari.

Atemu said and did nothing in response. Ryou patted him on the back a few times and stood up again. He walked over to his own chair but did not immediately sit down.

"So," Anzu began softly, "what about Yuugi? Do you think he'll be alright?" Everyone looked to Ryou for the answer.

That same mysterious, and almost unnerving smile touched his lips. "Of course. After all..." Bakura looked down at his friend. "Yuugi's the strongest of us all."

* * *

Okay! That's it for this chapter! I think I covered all the bases. But if any of you think I missed something, let me know in a review. I'll either conclude it in one of the final chapters or re-edit this one. 

So, for those of you who were wondering about Yami Bakura, there is a reason I didn't include him in this fic (and why he might not make an appearance in some others). Don't get me wrong, I love him; he's one of my favorite characters. But contrary to popular belief, the Thief King Bakura is NOT actually the spirit that inhabited the Millennium Ring. According to the character bio in Shonen Jump monthly among other quotes directly from the anime and manga (and thus my conclusions as far as I've come to understand it), Ryou's dark personality is a fragment of **Zorc Necrophades'** consciousness. He may have been personifying himself as the thief, but it's supposed to be the dark god. Otherwise, I think Kazuki Takahashi would have spent more time developing Ryou and Bakura's symbiotic relationship as well (though of course I don't have any actual information about that). Naturally, fanfiction allows us to change such things, but I didn't. The reason depends on how I want to portray Ryou and his spirit's relationship. I don't think Bakura would have been as cruel to him as Zorc would. Ryou's just too darn cute to resist after all. :P So, in fics where I write Ryou as having suffered considerably, then I use Zorc as the spirit. If I don't want it to be as dark or decide to pair them in any way, then I'll write in Bakura.

So that's why. If you totally disagree or have a thought regarding that, you can feel free to include it in review, but just don't bother with flames. It's not nice and it doesn't help anyone. Like I said, I love Bakura and I'm okay with the R/B pairing. You just won't see it too often because of how I write my fics.

Anyway, please review! (Almost 100 reviews! Let's see if we make it in this one) Tune in next week for the second last chapter of this story!

StandAlone


	19. Release

UGH! Finally! I've been trying to get this chapter submitted for the last couple of days! I kept getting a error. I don't know if it was the website or my computer that was messed up, but it seems to be fixed now. Was anyone else having problems?

Moving on... Yay! 100 Reviews!! Thanks everyone!

I suppose you deserve some sort of reward. So I now present to you... all out Yuugi/Atemu fluff!! Be sure to thank me for it!

**Atemu Yugi Lover34**: What on earth are you doing up at 3 a.m.? Never mind. I don't wanna know. Thanks for the review!

**SeraphEyes**: Thanks for pointing out that typo to me. I miss little things like that a lot. Usually within the first day of posting a chapter, I already notice some and have to go back and fix it. But it helps when an extra pair of eyes help ya out. :P

**Cactus Bob**: I'll thank Trikki for you.

**Trikki**: Cactus Bob thanks you for teaching her the term Noroi no Chi.

**Catgirl789**: Thanks for your multiple reviews! Honestly, I wasn't all that crazy about the Yami/Yuugi pairing either at first. I thought it was just kinda weird. But then I read this really good story by SilverWing147 called Partners of the Heart that totally changed my perspective on it. Now I honestly can't really see them with anyone else. They're just meant for each other. Anyway, that's a totally awesome story, so check it out if you're looking for a good YY/Y story to read.

Disclaimer: Don't own.

* * *

_"Yeah... but... I also think there's a certain strength that's needed to be able to cry when you should."_ – Fai, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, _Volume Two_

**Release**

Ryou Bakura smiled as Yuugi finally began to wake again. He'd been told by Dr. Monou that his friend had woken once before the previous evening after they'd all been sent away, so unfortunately he'd been alone all night. Monou-sama had already explained to his patient the diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle adjustments he'd have to make in order to recover, and so he could go home whenever he was ready.

Ryou sat down next to Yuugi at the edge of the bed and waited with a wide grin. He leaned over him a bit to see his face better when those amethyst orbs slowly cracked open. "Hey."

Yuugi blinked slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the light. He allowed a weak chuckle to escape at the sight of his friend. "Hey, yourself." He rubbed his eyes and yawned once before pushing himself up to a sitting position, forcing Bakura to lean back momentarily.

The two hikari's shared a warm grin before they captured one another in a friendly hug.

"Welcome back," Ryou whispered against his shoulder.

Yuugi laughed and pulled away. "I should be the one saying that." He moaned slightly and swayed a bit when he was released.

Ryou gently took hold of his shoulders and pushed him back to lie down again. "Take it easy. Your medicine's kicking in, but you're still a little frail from not eating anything the last couple of days."

Yuugi laid one arm over his face, effectively covering his eyes, and sighed. "Seems like... I've been in this position a lot lately." He stopped and coughed a few times. Then something seemed to click in his mind as he moved his arm to look around the room.

"Where's Grandpa? And Atemu?" He knew the others wouldn't be there since it was the middle of a school day.

"Mutou-san is downstairs getting your prescriptions filled. And Atemu-kun is at home resting." He snickered briefly. "Atemu's hardly left your side, refusing to eat or sleep. He was so worried about you, as we all were, but he was starting to get on everyone's nerves from being so cranky and exhausted. So last night, Honda-kun, Jounouchi-kun, and I dragged him out of the room." An eerie smirk, almost reminiscent of the one the evil spirit of the Ring used, broke out across his face. "He was kicking and screaming the whole way, yelling things like 'I'm the pharaoh and you will do as I say!'. Finally, Monou-sama came along and forcefully injected a sedative. We took him home after he passed out."

Yuugi laughed, though he really wasn't sure whether he should be amused or highly embarrassed by his yami's antics.

He exhaled heavily and closed his eyes, an apologetic tone in his voice as he spoke. "I've caused everyone a lot of trouble."

Ryou grinned and nodded. "Yeah. You did."

A mock glare was his reward. "Hey! A little support would be nice!"

The white haired boy giggled and held up his hands. "Just being honest." His grin faded to an encouraging smile. "But we all understand. You needed this."

Yuugi stared up at the ceiling. "That's what Grandpa was saying," he mumbled, more to himself than to his friend.

Ryou nodded again. "The others didn't notice, but you were awake during our conversation yesterday."

"You knew?"

Bakura chuckled. "Yeah. But I realize having so many people crowding the room and questioning you can be a little overwhelming."

Yuugi agreed. "I just... didn't want to face them just yet."

"I understand. You've just lost someone you cared about and wanted to be alone." Ryou faltered and thought for a moment. "You heard most of what we said, but you weren't awake yet when we were talking about what she was. Do you want to know more... about Hikaru?"

They were quiet for a long time while Yuugi considered it. But at last he whispered, "No. To me... she was a warm and caring person. And that's how I want to remember her."

"A wise decision," Ryou commented. "However," he said after another pause, "you have another choice to make."

Yuugi looked up at him questioningly.

He reached over and gently laid a hand over Yuugi's. "You have to decide how you'll react to what Atemu did. You heard that we all agree with his choice and would have done the same thing to save you. But nonetheless, Hikaru is now gone because of him. So, how are you going to treat him? Will you stay mad? Hate him? Forgive him?"

Yuugi said nothing.

Ryou waited a moment, though he really didn't expect any sort of answer. Finally, he stood and folded his arms behind his head. "Well, I should probably get going. I'll let your grandpa know you're awake on my way down." He pointed to a small duffle bag sitting on a nearby chair. "There's a change of clothes and some shower stuff in there so you can clean up before you go home."

Yuugi sat up slowly and tossed aside the blankets, nodding in acknowledgement.

Bakura headed for the door, but stopped once more. "Oh... I know it's probably the last thing on your mind, but just in case you were wondering, Kaiba-kun got an extension for your project. You won't have to worry about it for two more weeks. Same goes for your other classes' assignments." He smirked and winked.

Yuugi grinned in response as his friend stepped out of the room.

"Ryou?"

The boy popped his head in the doorway again. "Hmm?"

"Thanks for everything."

He smiled and waved. "See ya later, Yuugi."

* * *

Back at the game shop, Atemu was also awake and hurriedly getting dressed. A dark scowl was prominent on his handsome features as he dried his wet hair with a towel and headed down the stairs, mumbling contemplative threats the entire way. He couldn't believe his friends dragged him away and knocked him out. Admittedly he really did need some sleep, but that was far from his mind at the moment. His thoughts mostly consisted of returning to the hospital to be with Yuugi, and entertaining ideas of sweet revenge for the others' betrayal. Oh, they were so going to pay for this.

He absentmindedly threw the now damp towel in the laundry room on his way to the hall closet. He was told that Yuugi would no doubt awaken and return home that day, and he wanted to be there the whole way. So when he got up, he wasted no time... taking a shower in record time and bypassing the leather accessories and black ensembles he usually wore. Instead, he had dressed in whatever happened to be lying around, which were some light blue jeans and a long-sleeved dark blue button-up... both actually belonging to Yuugi. They were the same size, so it didn't really matter, but they didn't usually borrow each other's clothes. Atemu was simply in too much of a rush to notice.

He grabbed a thin black jacket and a pair of sneakers out of the closet. He pulled both on and attempted to stand on one foot as he tied the strings. At any other time, the noble pharaoh would take the time to kneel and properly lace his shoes, but he cared very little for his dignity at the moment. He hopped a few times to steady himself as he tied one, and then switched to the other. He was so focused on keeping his balance that he didn't notice the front door opening or the spiky-haired blur heading right for him.

"AHH!"

CRASH!

Atemu groaned and rubbed the back of his head, wincing slightly at the pain of the sudden fall. He blinked, suddenly realizing that something was lying on top of him.

"A-aibou?" He blushed lightly at their position and at the smirk on Sugoroku's face as he stepped over them and walked away. He propped himself up on his elbows and returned his gaze to the hikari, who was now trembling. His expression softened when he felt his neck growing damp.

Yuugi hugged his yami fiercely, taking little notice of anything else, and began to cry.

"Aibou?" Atemu asked again, compassion now rather than shock laced in his voice.

"Atemu... I missed you."

* * *

After they had gotten up, Yuugi took Atemu's hand and led him up to his room so they could talk. The older duelist was relieved to see that his secret love was already recovering quite well. The color had returned to his once pale cheeks and the hand now held in his own was much warmer than it was at the hospital. And in the brief moments he'd been home, he'd only coughed once.

They sat down at opposite ends of the younger's bed, both unsure of themselves or what they should say. Yami leaned against the wall, pulling one knee up to his chest and arm dangling over it while the other stretched out. His shy partner sat with his back to his bed's headboard, legs crossed and hands twitching in his lap.

"I... uh..." Atemu began after a long while. His counterpart looked up expectedly. Crimson eyes closed thoughtfully, and he grunted once to clear his throat. "I'm glad you're alright." He opened his eyes and directed a small smile his way.

Yuugi returned the grin with one of his own, but made no comments.

After a few more awkward minutes of silence, the one time pharaoh sighed. He bowed his head shamefully. "Yuugi, I'm... I'm sorry, for what I did. I know you truly loved Hikaru. I... sincerely hope you can forgive me, but I..."

"I can't."

Atemu looked over at him, features crestfallen as he anticipated an angry outburst. The reaction he got, however, was far from what he expected.

"I can't forgive you," Yuugi whispered. His golden bangs overshadowed his eyes. "I can't forgive you because... there is nothing to forgive." He looked up in time to see his yami's eyes widen in surprise. "You did the right thing, Atemu. So, there's no reason for you to say you're sorry or ask for forgiveness."

"Aibou..."

He looked away, guilt written on his face. "The truth is... _I'm_ the one who needs apologize. I was acting so selfish, so childish. I only thought about myself, what I wanted. And because of that, I hurt everyone I care about. I caused everyone so much trouble and pain. Especially you." A few tears rolled down his cheeks. "I'm sorry."

Atemu glanced at him in amazement. Then he began, "Yuugi, I... it's true that this whole thing was been quite an ordeal." He chuckled. "I won't lie to you, there's a lot of things I wish had never happened, but... it was all for the best. Maybe this isn't the path we would have taken if we had the choice, but I believe we did what we could through this whole situation. A lot of good did come and will come out of this. As long we learn from our mistakes and move on, then everything's alright. So please... don't worry about it."

Atemu hoped that his beloved would quickly wipe away his tears and smile, but once again, he was mistaken. "Yuugi?"

He did in fact rub his damp eyes, but didn't seem all that happy. Instead he took a deep, shaky breath. "Atemu, can I... ask you something?"

He hesitated at first, but then hastily nodded, not wishing to deny his koi anything.

Yuugi wasn't entirely sure how to delicately phrase what he'd been pondering, so he eventually settled for the blunt approach. "Atemu, did I... when I was unconscious in the hospital yesterday... was I... did I... die?"

Yami's breath hitched and his blood red eyes enlarged. Of all the things to ask, this was about the furthest thing to ever cross his mind. So much so, that at first all he could do was stare at him in disbelief. It wasn't until Yuugi lifted his head and watched him with those wide eyes that he finally found his voice. He looked down at the floor. "For a little while, yes, we thought we'd lost you. The doctors were doing everything in their power to save you, but... Anyway, it doesn't matter. You're here and you're safe now. That's all that matters to me." When his other didn't immediately respond, he felt compelled to question the matter. "Why do you ask?"

Yuugi pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them for comfort. He lowered his head and rested his chin on his knees. When he answered, his voice was very soft, but his tone was even, as if he himself wasn't sure how he should feel about what transpired.

"I... I had this dream. At least, I thought it was a dream. But if I really did die..." He shook his head. "I woke up in this very strange place. It's hard to describe. It wasn't really like any place at all. It was just... nothing, at first. It was very dark. I couldn't see or feel anything. It's wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. And it was so... still. I never heard a single noise. It nearly drove me mad."

Atemu shifted his body so that he was fully facing him, giving him his undivided attention.

Yuugi closed his eyes, perhaps trying to envision the place he was describing, or searching for the proper words that would paint a reliable picture. "I was... all alone. I tried walking around, trying to escape, but I can't really say if I was going anywhere, or if I was moving at all. I called for help, screamed your name, but the darkness swallowed the sounds so I couldn't hear my own voice."

He didn't look up while he spoke, so he didn't see his yami's expression. In the ex-pharaoh's mind, he was wondering what it all meant, and at the same time mentally berating himself for being unable to render aid to the one he loved so much.

"I don't know how long I stayed in that place. It probably wasn't long, but it felt like forever. I'd just about given up. But then I saw something."

Atemu sat up straight in anticipation.

"I saw... a light. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I can't even begin to describe what it was like. I started to run towards it, and when I did..."

Both pictured the image in their minds, one remembering and the other visualizing the scenes being portrayed.

Yuugi looked into his dark's eyes. "When I reached the light, I saw... my mom and dad. They were calling my name, and reaching out to me. They wanted me to go with them."

The darker teen took a sharp breath in, unsure of how he should react. In his mind's eye, he envisioned his precious light, faced with the parents he loved and missed so much, now within reach. He saw them beckoning to him with open arms and tender smiles and Yuugi, eyes brimming with tears, running to them, extending out one of his own hands to take theirs.

"I started to go to them. I wanted to, so badly, but then... I heard your voice."

The dream Yuugi in Yami's imagination faltered only a few mere feet from his parents, pausing to look over his shoulder as he listened.

"I don't remember what you said, but... your voice woke me up. It made me remember what's most important to me."

Yuugi turned to look back at his parents, tiny rivers cascading down his pale cheeks. He was so close, his hand hovering centimeters above his mother's. So close, that their fingers brushed against one another's as the gap between them almost closed. But then... he stopped. His fingers withdrew into a trembling fist and pulled away. When he looked up into his mother's eyes, he saw her smile, understanding reflecting in her features.

"Yuugi?"

The small light gulped and nodded to himself, having reached a crucial decision. He straightened his back and held Atemu's gaze with his own. "Yami, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time. But I was too afraid to because of how you might react. I thought that if I said anything, you might be disgusted and hate me forever." He leaned forward a little and smiled. "But then you... you saved me from Hikaru, even at the risk that I might be mad and hate you for it. You had the courage to do what was right, so that you could move forward with no regrets." He paused and giggled. "Seems like you're always teaching me that... to have courage and show no fear."

Yuugi took a very deep breath with closed eyes and exhaled away the stress of what he was about to do. He returned the eye contact with a brave smile. "Atemu, I... I love you. I've always loved you." He didn't wait for him to reply. "Honestly, there's so many things I'd like to say, but I... just can't seem to find the words." He laughed again, and scratched the back of his head. "I'm not really good at the poetic stuff. But anyway, when I saw my parents, and heard your voice, I realized something." He waved his hands. "Don't get me wrong, you know I love my parents, and I'd give anything to have them back. There will always be a special place in my heart just for them, and nothing can ever replace that. But... you're far more important to me. No matter how much I love them, I could never choose _them_ over _you_. And that's why... I couldn't go with them. I think they understand that. I'd rather be an orphan a thousand times over than live without you."

He paused briefly and blushed, unsure of what kind of answer he should expect. "Atemu, I know you might not feel the same way I do. You might hate me for this, but I just can't help how I feel. I love you, and I'll always love you, no matter what. And even if you don't, I will still be there for you if you ever need me. I can still be your hikari or aibou or whatever. But to me, you'll always be my soul mate, my one true love that I'm meant to be with."

When he had finished speaking, he couldn't help but giggle at the other's expression. His lips were slightly parted and his crimson eyes were nearly as wide as his own. When he laughed, Atemu shook his head to recover from the shock, closing his mouth and brows furrowed as he tried to think of something to say.

Atemu could hardly believe what he'd been told. He knew in his heart that Yuugi loved him, even if their love had thus far been unspoken, but to such a degree...

Really, it shouldn't be such a big deal. After all, he too and forsaken a reunion with his long dead family and the peace of the afterlife for Yuugi's sake. In a cosmic sort of perspective, he supposed that this would make them even. Light and dark in perfect balance.

"Atemu?" When he didn't say anything, Yuugi began to suspect the worse, but hid his internal anguish well. It really wouldn't do to start crying in front of him and make him feel guilty, and he thought it likely that his dark was trying to think of a proper way to reject him without hurting his feelings too much. The young duelist tilted his head in confusion when a wide grin spread across his face.

Atemu couldn't help but smile as it all sank in. Yuugi loved him! Truly loved and him and always would. They could finally be together just as he always wished. He only had to tell him so. Unfortunately, he was at a loss for words. What could he possibly say after that speech?

"Yuugi, I..." He trailed off and blushed. Since he hadn't immediately answered, Yuugi had become concerned and crawled over to him, possibly trying to read his expression. His face was mere inches from his own, and he felt his breath shorten.

From the first moment he laid eyes on him, the ex-pharaoh had thought his lighter half to be the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, but right now, he was absolutely breathtaking. Wild tri-colored hair, still a little damp from washing up at the hospital, was mussed, unruly spikes drooping just enough to frame his porcelain face. Thanks to his medicine, his flawless skin tone had returned to its normal shade, with just a hint of that oh-so-adorable blush. Those full pink pouting lips, slightly parted, were practically begging to be kissed. Atemu wet his own unconsciously.

And last, but certainly not the least, were those big gorgeous eyes of his. They were so irresistibly cute, wide and innocent like a puppy's, and yet wisdom and strength lurked behind that piercing gaze. They sparkled and danced, like an amethyst jewel, accentuated by long ebony lashes. But what he loved most about them was that they were always so expressive, hiding nothing, instead revealing everything he felt... like an open window into his heart. Right now, he could see love and affection glowing in their indigo depths, with just a tiny hint of fear and sadness tracing the corners.

Maybe it was a trick of light, or maybe he was still groggy from the lack of sleep. He could still be asleep even now, dreaming a wonderful dream. But, most likely, their shared love really did make Yuugi seem all the more beautiful to him. In any case, Yami suddenly found that he couldn't hold back any longer.

In a move neither of them foresaw coming, Atemu lunged forward, tackling Yuugi who in turn yelped in surprise. He was careful not to crush his little one as he fell and lay partially on top of him, pinning his arms on either side of his head and lacing their fingers together. He did this all in a matter of seconds before he leaned down and captured his lip in their very first kiss.

Initially, it was soft and tender, gentle and loving, with no need or force behind it. For Yuugi's sake, Atemu made sure to restrain himself, giving the other plenty of opportunity to pull away if that was his want. Even so, it was so sensual and passionate that the elder of the two moaned quietly when his aibou began to respond.

For the first few seconds, Yuugi could only lay there in shock, eyes wide open as Yami kissed him. But it didn't take long for his shy nature to melt away and a heavy feeling of elation to set in. Atemu was kissing him... actually kissing him full on the lips! That could only mean one thing... he left him no room for misinterpretation. He closed his eyes and leaned his head up, soundly connecting to his other self, smiling at the small moan he heard in response.

It wasn't long before the kiss intensified. Atemu wordlessly coaxed his aibou's mouth open and slipped his tongue through the parted lips, searching, exploring... licking and tasting. Yuugi moved his own tongue to respond, their sleek muscles dancing and dueling. Yami released his hands, moving one to cup the younger's smooth cheek and jaw line while the other trailed down his side, wrapping around his slim waist. Yuugi's wandered around his neck, tangling and running through his hair, pulling him closer.

The kiss deepened with each passing moment, passion and desire drowning out thought or reason. They didn't stop until their human lungs could take no more, and they reluctantly parted for air.

Both boys panted, taking in deep breaths to steady their racing hearts, though neither released the other. Their foreheads rested against each other, lips were still practically touching.

Yuugi was the first to speak, having finally caught his breath. Though the action had pretty much answered his questions regarding the other's true feelings, a part of him still needed to hear it out loud. "Yami?"

Atemu smirked at his hikari, mirth sparkling in his ruby eyes when he spoke. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." Then he turned serious, shifting so that he was lying on his side, propped up on one elbow and facing Yuugi who likewise did the same, but had to remove his arms from around his yami's neck to do so.

The pharaoh reached over and brushed away Yuugi's golden bangs, running his fingers through the soft locks, caressing his face and tracing his jaw and neck, both simply staring at one another.

"I love you," Atemu whispered at last, answering the other's silent misgivings. "I love you so much, my little one." He smiled. "I meant to say so before I kissed you, but I just couldn't find the words. At least none that could match yours." The soft caresses ceased as his hand came to stop behind Yuugi's neck at the base of the hairline, thumb brushing his throat in tender strokes. "I've always loved you and I always will. I don't know what the future holds for us, but I promise that I will always protect you and take care of you. No matter what. And I'll always be here for you, my precious koi. Really, there are so many things I want to say, I wish I could figure out a way to tell just how much I love you but..." He blinked, a little stunned, when Yuugi boldly silenced him with another soft kiss.

He smiled when he pulled away, silently laughing at the look on his dark's face. "You don't have to make a big speech for me, Atemu. Those three little words were enough."

Atemu returned the smile and pulled him closer, kissing him eagerly, a little more forcefully, the initial awkwardness of it all gone now. It was such a simple act, and yet so divine and glorious, he doubted he'd ever tire of it. Neither could properly describe the taste or sensation of it. There was no defining food-like flavor to it. Nor could rainbows or sunshine, or anything else pastel or bright colored explain what it was like. Both boys had their own unique taste, and no dreamy eyed fantasy could ever label it. It was erotic and passionate, and at the same time gentle and sweet.

Yami pulled away uncertainly, this time not for lack of air, but of response. Something had changed in Yuugi's demeanor. Or perhaps it had been there all along, but he'd gotten so caught up in the moment, he'd failed to notice it. "Yuugi?" The sorrow that had merely brimmed in the corners of his wide eyes was now more pronounced, though he sensed his aibou attempting to subdue it. "What's wrong?"

Yuugi shook his head and forced a smile, hastily wiping away the tears now trailing down his cheeks. "I'm sorry. It's not you or anything, it's just that..." He rolled over to lie on his back and covered his face with his hands. "I was just thinking how happy I was that you and me are finally together. And I was thinking that I couldn't wait to tell Hikaru-san. But then I remembered..."

Atemu's eyes narrowed in sympathy.

Yuugi shook his head. "I know I shouldn't be thinking about that right now. It's just that... she once told me that she hoped we'd get together... and then... anyway, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get distracted, but I..."

He let the sentence go unfinished as Atemu reached over and forced his hands away from his face. He leaned down and reclaimed those petals soft lips with his own. But there was no want or pressure in it. It was compassionate and loving... and so very soothing.

They'd gotten so carried away with the romantic atmosphere, he'd completely forgotten that Yuugi had just lost someone he cared about. And as much as Atemu wanted this moment with him, he wasn't about to take advantage of his love while he was vulnerable.

He pulled back, pressing his finger to Yuugi's lips. "Shh. It's okay." He wrapped his arms around his aibou, pulling him close. The embrace was comforting and protective, giving his lighter half a sense of containment rather than confinement. He trailed tender kisses along his brow, the tip of his nose, across his teary eyes.

Yuugi sniffed, ashamed to have ruined the moment, but needing this nonetheless. He buried his face in Atemu's toned chest, lightly clenching the folds of his shirt. The pharaoh gently rubbed his back, coaxing him to just let it out. The silent encouragement did the trick. His shoulders trembled as he began sobbing, the sorrow of his loss overtaking his happiness for now.

He cried for a long time. And even after his tears ran dry, Atemu continued to hold him, the two lost in one another's embrace.

* * *

And that's it for now! Sorry I had to stop the fluff. I know, you'll probably hate me for it, but I wanted to be realistic, and as such, you must remember that Yuugi still needed to grieve for his loss.

Only one more chapter to go! Sad I know.

Please review!!

StandAlone


	20. Unchained Angel

Welcome to the final chapter of Hole In My Heart! This is more or less an epilogue. I would herby like to thank everyone who has read and/or reviewed my random ramblings. Your comments and criticism make it all worth it!

So I hope you enjoyed this story, and I also hope you'll check out future fics!

One more note, this chapter has some references to Japanese customs. I've numbered them, and explanations are given at the end of this chapter for those of you in need of a refresher course.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu-gi-oh!, the basic storyline from xxxHolic _vol. 6_, or any of the quotes I referenced. No money is being made from this, and no copyright infringement is intended. Any part of this story that was not referenced but may resemble other writings was purely coincidental and copyright infringement unintended.

* * *

_"Because I'm not alone, I can continue to live. With the people I love... I can find happiness."_ – Hikaru, Magic Knight Rayearth 2, _Volume Three_

**Unchained Angel**

It was a beautiful, sunny day. Birds were chirping, crickets singing a mid morning tune, and all living things breathed in the crisp, clean air. A light wind flowed freely, whistling a happy song through the fresh green leaves of the dew covered trees.

And Yuugi Mutou stood in the midst of it all, simply taking it in and letting the essence of spring fill his senses and being completely. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, smiling as the breeze ruffled through the spiky strands of his hair. Then he exhaled and opened his amethyst eyes.

He began strolling forward, hands casually resting in his jeans pockets. The wet grass dampened his sneakers slightly as he walked around a petite white house with a "For Sale" sign on the front. This led him to the back yard, where a circular grove of trees grew. A lonely tire swing hung from a high branch of one of the outer trees. He glanced at it briefly as he wove through the grove.

They cleared in the middle, revealing a small open space. On the far end of the clearing was one large grave marker, covered in moss and weeds, partially hiding the family name: Mutou.

Yuugi continued on until he was standing directly in front of the marker. He paused, simply staring at it, eyes narrowed in sadness, but cherry lips upturned in a tiny smile. After a while, he bent down and cleared away the moss, scratching dirt from the grooves of the engraving, and pulling back overgrown weeds. Once he was satisfied, he stood again, returning his hands to his pockets. He tilted his head as he read the marker.

_Syaoran and Sakura Mutou: You'll Always Be In Our Hearts_.

Tears began to gather in his eyes, but he hastened to wipe them away. He took a deep shaky breath and softly began to speak.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. It's been awhile hasn't it?" He paused, as if waiting for a response, before he continued. "I'm sorry I haven't been to visit in so long. Things have been... kinda crazy." He chuckled at the joke. "I've been on all kinds of wild adventures. Just like Grandpa. He's doing fine, by the way." This time, he did let the tears fall. "Still, I wish you were here. I miss you so much."

Yuugi was quiet for a long time as he thought to himself. He removed his hands from their resting place and folded them behind his head, a sheepish grin on his face. "There's a lot of things I wanna say. I was rehearsing the whole way here, but now... I kinda forgot. Heh heh... I guess some things never change." He let his arms fall and dangle at his side. "But I think.. what I really wanted to say, is that I'm going to be okay. You don't have to worry about me anymore. I've got a good life, and a great future ahead of me. I just know it. And I'm not alone. I miss you, and I'll always love you, but... I have others that I love and love me. As long as they're with me, then everything's alright."

The wind picked up a little, blowing through the trees, the grass, tousling his clothes and hair. Sunlight peaked between drifting clouds, shining brightly on the little grove.

"Well," Yuugi whispered at last, "I think I better get going. Someone's waiting for me." He reached into his back pants pocket and pulled out a card. He kneeled and set it on the base of the gravestone. "Oh, and if you could, say hi to Hikaru-san for me. And tell her... I'm doing just fine."

He gave the silent grave one last smile as he brushed away the tears and turned to leave. Behind him, the Guardian Spirit card glowed, but quickly faded away.

He kept his eyes trained on the ground as he walked away. It was so strange. Suddenly, he felt like this heavy lead weight was lifted off his shoulders, and in his heart, he felt... happier. He giggled once, and straightened his back. His steps quickened until he was almost skipping.

"Aibou!"

Yuugi waved to Atemu, who stood on the other side of the street, leaning casually against their Grandpa's car. After looking both ways, the smaller teen hurried over to him. He laughed again as his yami wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close. He returned the hug and rested his head against his other's shoulder, very much enjoying the closeness between them.

"You okay?" Atemu whispered in his ear, rubbing his back soothingly.

Yuugi nodded. "Yep. Everything's fine now." He pulled away so he could look into those beautiful crimson orbs. "Ready to go?"

Atemu smiled, kissing his koi lightly on the cheek. "Yeah. The others are waiting for us."

* * *

The autumn and winter months had passed quickly after the incident with the spirit of Hikaru. Everyone moved on with their normal lives, struggling with their final year of high school and preparing for their eventual emergence into the working world. 

Yuugi made a full recovery, with the enthusiastic support of his loved ones to help him through. His newfound romance with Atemu was at the heart of many discussions initially, but things settled down into a comfortable routine. Their other friends were grateful that they didn't become the stereotypical couple who constantly cooed at each other, ignoring and annoying everyone with public displays of affection. In fact, as far the Anzu, Jou, Honda, and Ryou were concerned, little had changed in the group's relationship. Yuugi and Atemu were perfectly fine and capable of spending time apart, even in group activities. And except for the occasional hug and holding of hands, they kept deeper affections and physical contact reserved for dates. So even though it was a little strange at first to think of them as a couple, everyone was soon very content and happy with the idea.

Yuugi and Kaiba finished their project at last, easily receiving the highest marks in the class. When congratulated on their perfect score, the shorter duelist modestly laughed while the teenage CEO snorted, with "what did you expect?" attitude.

Things were going well with Ryou and his family. His little sister Amane often came to visit, and even though she was much younger than the others, she tagged along on many of their group outings.

Anzu had been accepted by several different dance academies and was in the process of deciding which she would attend.

Jou and Honda were simply their normal goofy selves.

The winter holidays passed, and the world eagerly welcomed the warmth of spring. Sakura trees were in full bloom, and everyone was gearing up for the Hanami (1) festival. At first, they were going to attend the same one they did every year, at the Domino Wildlife Preserve, but Yuugi shyly requested to go elsewhere instead. He explained that he wished to return to his original hometown of _Himawari_. He had something he needed to do there, but likewise bragged that its Hanami parties were far more enjoyable and entertaining. So, after a lot of preparation, the group of friends packed up two vehicles and made the four hour trip over the _Ame-Warashi _Mountain Pass. Yuugi was understandably a little nervous during the drive up, but with his beloved yami by his side, he remained calm.

Once they arrived, Atemu and Yuugi split from the others to visit his parents' grave while the boys and Anzu checked into their hotel rooms. And now that the hole in Yuugi's heart was not quite as big and empty as it once was, it was time to celebrate.

"KAMPAI!" (2)

Laughter filled the air as hundreds of people raised their glasses and offered varying toasts. All around them, poems about and praising the flowering cherry blossom trees were recited by the evening star lights.

Honda, Jou, and Ryou could be seen stuffing their mouths with food and playing the different carnival games set up in booths around the vast park. More often than not, the taller brunette and the white haired teen would have to restrain Jounouchi from attacking a helpless booth worker, demanding a refund from a rigged game.

Atemu, Yuugi, and Anzu laughed merrily from their picnic spread out under an especially gorgeous Sakura tree. They too nibbled on food, joked and talked, about everything and anything, and sipped slowly at their cups of sake. (3)

After a while, Anzu got bored with sitting. She jumped up and stood, taking a moment to straighten her pink yukata (4) and tightening her matching white obi. (5) Then she offered a hand to Yuugi.

"Hey Yuugi, care to dance?" She nodded towards a clearing lit with lanterns where loud music was playing.

"Sure!" He grinned and took her hand, allowing her to help him up and deliberately ignoring the teasing pout he got from Atemu.

Atemu smiled and leaned back against the trunk of the Sakura tree, careful not to spill his sake. He honestly couldn't remember a time when he was so happy. He had a good life, the love of his precious aibou, and loyal friends he could always count on. He was so glad he decided not to move on the afterlife.

He waved at Yuugi who winked at him as he danced with his friend. He couldn't help but laugh at his lame, but enthusiastic attempts; Anzu was considerably more graceful than his hikari. It didn't matter though. He looked so beautiful in a light blue yukata tied with a dark blue obi. The couple matched, as the former pharaoh was currently wearing a dark blue yukata and light blue obi.

Atemu's eyes widened momentarily, and he blinked a few times. He could swear that just for a second, Yuugi looked a little different. When his koi twirled, he could see the fold of white angel wings, unfurled and glowing with joy. And where, months ago, chains could be seen wrapped around his torso, there were none. He couldn't be sure, since it happened in the blink of an eye, but his grin widened nonetheless.

When the song ended, Anzu searched for a new partner while Yuugi bounced back over to his yami, plopping down next to him and curling up to his side, face bright red and laughing with glee. "That was fun! You should try it, Atemu."

He set down his cup and pulled his little one onto his lap. He chuckled and nuzzled his hair, delighting in the blush it drew from his other. "Maybe later." He sighed. "I'm content right where I am." Yami rested his head on Yuugi's and closed his eyes.

Yuugi snuggled closer, arms worming their way around his dark's waist. "Tired?"

Atemu shrugged. "A little." He lifted his head again, a little surprised when Yuugi seemed to pout.

"Really? That's too bad."

The one-time king raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Why's that?"

Yuugi turned his face away, attempting to hide the mischievous glint in his eyes and the smirk threatening to break on his lips. "Well, um... you see... I sort of made a mistake when I booked our hotel rooms."

Atemu's brows furrowed in confusion. Since he had been busy helping Sugoroku in the store, he left the hotel and transportation arrangements to Yuugi and the others. And usually, he was very careful about checking such things. "What sort of mistake?"

Yuugi scratched his chin and looked up at the sky. "Well, seems I completely forgot to ask for a room with separate beds." He shrugged and laughed, a hand behind his head. "Silly me! It seems I _accidentally_ booked a honeymoon suite with king-sized bed instead."

Yami blinked slowly in astonishment. Was Yuugi... did he...?" In the months they'd begun dating, the couple took things slow, choosing instead to enjoy the simple things and resolve the various stresses they'd been dealing with. So they hadn't actually... gone all the way yet. They'd talked about it briefly, but Yuugi had said he wasn't ready and needed to find closure for something else first. After that, Atemu never brought it up, no matter how much it was driving him crazy. So then... did that mean...?

"Yuugi?"

The young hikari looked into his eyes, and smiled so sweetly, Atemu thought he'd melt. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting, Atemu, but... I just needed to finish this thing with my parents and Hikaru-san. And now that I have... I'm ready." He punctuated the bold statement by kissing his other softly.

Atemu looked in his eyes, searching for any signs of a hesitancy. What he saw instead was an unwavering determination, loyalty, love, and now... just a tiny hint of lust glowing in those amethyst depths.

He didn't need to say anything. Instead, he pulled his aibou into a much deeper kiss, holding him tightly. Then, he took his hand and stood, leading him away from the noisy crowds.

Spring is a time for new beginnings. And that spring, Atemu and Yuugi found theirs. They were no longer bound by painful and uncertain pasts, no longer chained to the wheel of fate. They were free to guide their own destinies, free to shape their own future, and free to become one at last.

So they were, and so they are.

* * *

And... that's it! But ya know... I'm not entirely certain I'm satisfied with this chapter. It seemed longer in my head. So I may end up revising some things later if I think of something. 

A brief explanation of the Japanese terms I used:

Hanami – a festival held in April when the Sakura trees are in full blossom. You've probably read about them or seen them used in various anime/manga series.

Kampai (also sometimes spelled kanpai) – literally "dry (or empty) glass". Like saying "cheers" before you drink.

Sake – a traditional Japanese rice wine, with an alcohol content about 15 percent and often drunk at festivals.

Yukata – an informal, light kimono

Obi – a sash worn at the waist of a kimono

All of the above information was taken from wikipedia. Simply input key words in the search engine for more information.

Well, now that this story is over, I'll be moving on to some new stuff. In the following couple of weeks, I'll be posting a few oneshots I've been working on (not all of them Yu-gi-oh!) as well as the story I've written for my contest winner, In Pursuit of Love." Look for those coming, but I would appreciate some input on what everyone would like to see after that. I know some of you have expressed an interest in the untitled one, now called Sayonara Solitier, but I had another idea, which has also been posted. So even if you already cast a vote, check out my profile again, read the new entry, and vote again. The one with the most is the one I'll start next.

And last, but not least, I'll be answering any final reviews personally, so don't look for an extra chapter regarding that.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to review!

StandAlone


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